To Stop An Angel
by freewolf17
Summary: Nozomi's mind has been made up. Will the Angel chose to rise or remain fallen? Will the Alliance crubble or rise from the ashes of disaster? What shall become of the Shinobi World now that it only has its Savior and no Angel to guide him? Only time tells.
1. Under the Willow

Minako's POV

I watched my daughter, test out some of her improved skills. She had changed so much in the last month. Everything about her had matured her power, her personality, her intelligence, she had physically grown as well. One month on Earth was equivalent to two years here. Sadly... But yet joyously... She was ready.

Kabuto's POV

Nami played idly with her pencil. Ukon was making random marks on the sheet of paper before him. Karin was gazing at the book in front of her blankly. It was just one of those days that no one could focus. It was the end of December and snow was thick on the ground. Or at least the last time I was outside that's the way it was; that was a week ago. We don't go outside much in Oto. Why should we? We have what we need down here. Friends, a place to hang out, places to be alone. What's up there that we need?

I can only think of one thing. The lake and... Her statue... My Angel's Memorial of Crystal that lay under the willow. I got to my feet and left the room no one but Nami acknowledged the fact that I left. Nami followed me out.

"Where are you going?" I asked. Nami hadn't been in a daze like Ayame and Megumi have been in. She was sad yes but she wasn't dwelling on it.

"Angel's Lake." Nami said sadly.

"Mind if I join you?" I asked. Nami's reply was a shrug. I took it as a yes.

Though clouds covered the sky it was fairly bright out as the snow still blanketed the outside world and more continued to fall. We walked the all too familiar path to Angel's Lake. We walked in silence. I thought about the events that have happened since My Angel's death.

The Base had been plunged almost back into the darker days of Oto. Yeah the Lounge was now the only place with life again. But it seemed even bleaker than it was before My Angel came, and I never thought that was possible. The Mess Hall became a quiet place, only mutters of 'Can you pass me that?' 'Are you done with that?'. Although Karin, Ukon and Nami seemed like they became more determined in their path to become full fledged Medical-Nin. Most likely not wanting to let Nozomi down.

Karin became a Medic in the first place to prove her worth in the Shinobi World and to Nozomi. Nami had been trained as a Medic before she came to Oto but never said where or who or how; I wasn't going to pry. Ukon approached both Nozomi and I because he was tired of having to rely on his brother all the time, he wanted to be able to stand on his own two feet, to not be dead weight.

An other Jinchuriki had been created. Orochimaru found out that the Three Tailed had no Jinchuriki and was roaming wild. He sent some of his Shinobi, including me, to seal it in a young boy. We met no resistance from the Mist, if they even know we were there. The boy about a year and a half older than Nami; his name was Yukimaru.

No one in our group held a grudge against me for helping to create a new Jinchuriki, it was officially/unofficially known that Nozomi was a Jinchuriki, so people here showed no hatred to him; except Sasuke's group but they didn't say or do anything because they didn't want to get beat up by the entire Village.

I pity Yukimaru all the same, the Sealing prosses looked painful but at least Guren was there holding him the entire time. Guren was a mother to him and he was a son to her. I'm not proud of what I had to do but I knew he'd have a chance of having a family this way. He would have had _both _Nozomi and Nami to help him, but now he just had Nami. Yes, I know Nami is the Zero Tailed's Jinchuriki. Nozomi told me this in confidence; I will never betray that, Nami doesn't even know I know.

I glanced at Nami as she clutched Nozomi's necklace. At some point before the funeral Nami took it. I don't think Nozomi would object to one of her students wearing it. I wrapped my arm around the young girl's shoulders was we approached Angel's Lake.

Yugito's POV

I gazed out the window and out into the garden. It was covered in snow, I watched Aoko try and get a cardinal but as usual some of my Clan's children showed up and scared it away. I think they like annoying Aoko, they love her but I think they like messing with her. Actually my entire Clan loved Aoko, they loved her childish antics, the way she was always eager and happy... It makes me wonder what kind of life I would have had if I could Summon Aoko since my childhood. It probably would have been a lot better but at least this gives my successor a chance for a happy life.

Aoko and her siblings were so sad when Sumi and Nozomi first died, to be honest I was too. But Roshi... He was right. There was no reason to be sad. I would be with Nozomi and Minako again. My best friends besides Aoko and Tsukiko. Yes, Killer Bee was a childhood friend but I... Well... Wish it to be more... Aoko and Hachirou try to push Killer Bee and I together but Killer Bee can be so thick sometimes!

I sighed, put a hat on and went outside. Aoko chased a squirrel around the willow tree and then up it and back down it and the cycle repeated. I couldn't help but laugh so hard I was rolling in the snow. Aoko pounced on me and we wrestled for a moment. She curled up on my stomached and I think she fell asleep.

I stared at the clouds, sunlight actually peaked through them for once. I stared at a particulat hole in the clouds. I could see it clearly from under the willow as there were no leaves and the snow had fallen off the branches. It was shaped like a winged girl, an angel. _Nozomi..._A tear trickle down my cheek and I felt Aoko lick it away, apparently she hadn't been sleeping.

I stood up and Aoko leapt off my stomach. She ran to the door and waited for me to open it. I walked to the door slowly, still in deep thought.

I opened the door for Aoko and she bolted in to curl up by the fire. I don't know why but something in me jolted as if it had been shocked by lightning. I looked at the sky. The gap between the clouds had closed in, the wings were gone, it was just a girl now...

_What does this mean...?_

Nami's POV

Kabuto and I walked rounded the bend in the trail and Ange's Lake was before us in all it's glory. The snow was untouched and the lake looked like glass as it was covered in a sheet of ice one foot thick, the Hallelujah Mountains stood in the backround, a mountain chain that went from The Land of Sound to The Land of Lightning. I saw my Sensei's Crystal Memorial near the shore under a willow tree. But it wasn't the only thing under the willow.

Mine and Kabuto's Medic instincts took over. Someone was lying in the snow before the statue under the willow.


	2. Akiha and Amnesia

Yugito's POV

I sat in the arm chair in front of the fire. _What did that mean? It meant something but what?_

I looked into the fire, I listened to it crackle and pop, hoping for some kind of clarification. Aoko's yawn brought me out of my trance. I glanced at her as she washed her face with her paws. I always loved it when cats did that. I was just too adorable. Aoko got up and sat in the fire itself, Aoko stretched and went to sleep. She often did that. I'm just glad the ribbon on her ear and the hitai-ate didn't burn when she did this.

I turned my gaze back to the window. _What did that mean? Nozomi... What... _

_"_OH!" I clutched my heart.

"Yugito?" Aoko asked from the fire. "Are you alright?"

Nami's POV

Kabuto raced across the snow towards the body. We both knelt beside her. I touched her cold, pale skin.

"We have to get her warm and fast!" Kabuto said taking the redheaded teenager in his arms. As we ran I took in the girl's features. Her knee length, wavy hair was the color of an Autumn leaf, her face was slightly rounded, and she looked about fifteen. She wore a light blue, ankle length dress, that had a knee length slit up the front. She had a thick, light green belt around her waist, on the large buckle it said 'Angel'.

_Who is this girl?_

_Nami...- _Miu

_Yeah?_

_I know this will sound crazy but... Oh never mind.. It's too insane- _Miu

_Ummm... Okay..._

Miu could so weird sometimes. People stared at us as we raced through the halls, we didn't stop to explain. I raced a head of Kabuto to hold the Lab doors open.

"You guys are about to get a first hand lesson on Hypothermia!" I warned Karin and Ukon. They bolted out of their chairs like an electric shock had been sent into them. I have to admit Ukon's reflexes have been getting a lot better.

Karin's POV

Kabuto brought in the patient bridal style. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, or feeling. My sense of Chakra is a bit hard to explain. But... It couldn't be... It was impossible... But there was no one else with this amount... This strength... The boldness and the brightness... It could only be... But... She was dead... This girl was older than her, the hair color was different... It just couldn't be...

Nami's POV

With in a few hours this mysterious girl was out of danger and on oxygen and a warm IV drip. To be honest she didn't need to be but it was just a precaution. We were gonna take shifts on watching her. No doubt by now Karin and Ukon had blabbed to the whole base about the redhead and Oroch would be here momentarily. Speak of the devil.

Oroch walked into the room to see what was going on. He didn't say a word but an odd look crossed his face. He stared at her for a while longer and said. "Inform me when she wakes." and with that he left.

"That was..." I trailed off.

"Weird?" Kabuto supplied, obviously he was just as confused as I was.

_Why do I get the feeling I know her?_

_Because... Because you do, Nami...- _Miu

_Spill. Now._

_She's- -_Miu

It suddenly felt like a jolt of electricity went through me.

"She's awake!" Kabuto said quietly.

Yugito's POV

I had that feeling again... Lightning straight through my heart...

_It has to be. It just has to be..._

"Aoko... Did you feel that?"

She looked up at me and blinked her yellow and green eyes. "Yes... But it's impossible... But it is..."

"We have to tell Kirabi!" I got up quickly and bolted for the door.

"Wait up!" Aoko called, I was still pulling my coat on when I was halfway down the walkway.

Killer Bee's POV

I almost ran into Yugito as I raced down the snowy streets with Hachirou on my heals.

"You felt it too? The lightning?" Yugito asked.

"Through the heart?" I asked. I wasn't about to rap at a time like this. Besides she'd slap me for it.

We both nodded. Yugito started to cry. I felt awkward as I held her, not bad awkward but nervous awkward.

I noticed Aoko and Hachirou were holding eye contact, as if have a serious conversation. No doubt telepathically. Why can't they just tell us instead of keeping everything a secrete?

Nami's POV

I held my gaze on the redhead as she stirred. She sat up slowly and blinked. She had jade green, pupiless eyes. I noticed they were the same shape as my Sensei's had been. Weird...

Kabuto looked at me. I knew what he was saying. 'Go get Orochimaru.'

I returned with a look that said, 'Why do I have to do it?'

His next expression was either 'Just do it!' or 'Because I said so!'

I sighed and rolled my eyes as I headed for the door. I walked to Oroch's office. What's the rush anyway? I knocked on the door before opening it. "She's awake." and with that I left.

I ran back to the Labs just to screw with Oroch. When I got back Akiha was looking around with a calm expression. She was on her feet, and walked slowly around the room. Her dress moved like water, I was compelled to touch it to see how it felt but I'm not a child. Okay I am. But I wasn't going to act like one.

Her gaze rested on a picture that hung on the wall. It was of Kabuto, Nozomi Sensei, Ukon, Karin and I. An odd expression crossed her face as she gazed at it; like she was lost in memory. She turned away from it and continued to walk around the room as if in a trance. Her black, wedge sandals clicked on the ground as she walked.

"Where am I?" She finally asked. Her voice... It sounds so... Familiar... Slightly high pitched, light, calm... Where did I...?

"You are in Otogakure." I turned, that cockroach of a snake had walked in.

"Oto..." She pondered this for a moment. "I've heard of it... I take it you must be Lord Orochimaru then..." She tilted her head to one side.

Oroch nodded. He was about to say something but I beat him to it.

"Who are you?" I asked.

She blinked her leaf green eyes once. "I'm Akiha and... " She closed her eyes tightly. She opened them slowly. "I can't remember anything else..." she fingered her light blue dress, tilting her head to the other side. "That is strange... Where did you find me? I don't recall ever being in this room before..."

"We found you by Angel's Lake." Kabuto spoke for the first time. "In the snow. You suffered from Hypothermia."

"Really? Huh. I don't recall being by any lake... Hypothermia? Isn't it Autumn? Late November I think..."

Oroch, Kabuto and I were looking at each other like, 'Is this girl pulling our leg or something?'

"No it's the end of December..." I said confused.

"How very strange..." Akiha said taking a few steps around the room.

"This girl cannot take care of herself." Kabuto muttered to me. "'I've been asking her questions and she can't answer a single one besides the day and month of her birth and her name. She doesn't remember what country she's from, her family, her friends, nothing..."

"Virtually complete amnesia." I said, not bothering to speak quietly.

Akiha heard what I said and shrugged slightly.

"Find a room for her." Oroch said, then he left. No reason given for keeping her here, which is weird. Normally he only keeps people who can be of use to him. _What does that snake know that we don't?_


	3. Feelings That Can't Be Shaken

Tayuya's POV

_How do I always get stuck with showing the new girl around?_ I shook my head as Akiha followed, her gaze traveled around the halls as we walked, smiling at everyone we passed. _This girl's not going to last five minutes on her own here. What the Hell was Orochimaru thinking?_

She was being placed in Lady Nozomi's old room. I guess this room has a bad luck streak. First a woman named Suki had it, then my sister, then Lady Nozomi... I hope this tradition doesn't hold true. Okay so my sister isn't dead that's true but you get the idea.

"This is your room." I said indicating to her door. "I'm just across the hall."

I started to go into my room.

"Hey, Tayuya?"

I froze. "Yes?"

"Are you alright? You can always talk to me, you know. I'm a good listener." She smiled before she went into her room.

_Déjà vu... That was weird... _

Lady Nozomi said those very words to me when she first came here. Besides Kin she was one of the best friends I'd ever had. Despite the fact of what I did she forgave me.

I stared at the closed door of what used to be my sister's room. I shook my head slightly and went into my room. I sat on my bed and gazed at the picture that sat on my desk.

It was of all of us; Sakon, Ukon, Kimimaro, Kidomaru, Jirobo, Kotone, Su, Lady Nozomi, Kabuto, Megumi, Nami, Ayame, Karin, Yukimaru, Guren and I. We were all on the stage in the lounge. The stage was a few feet off the ground, it was more like a platform I guess. Lady Nozomi and Megumi shared the piano bench while Kabuto stood behind them with his hand on Lady Nozomi's shoulder. Nami held her purple and black ocarina and Megumi held her fiddle as if playing it, both of them sat on top of the beat up grand piano. Su, Kotone and I sat with our legs dangling over the edge of the stage, Su held her violin, Kotone held her harp and I my flute. Kimimaro knelt down behind me. Kidomaru held his guitar in one hand. Jirobo sat behind a drum set. Guren had her arms wrapped around Yukimaru. Sakon and Ukon stood back to back. Karin sat Indian style on the stage.

We were crammed up there but we made it work. I sighed. Things changed so much around here since Lady Nozomi passed away. I think she took a bit of everyone with her.

I heard a knock on the door. "Yes?"

Kotone and Karin stood in the door. "So there's yet another new girl? We seem to be getting a lot of them lately. Huh, Karin?"

"Ha ha." Karin stuck her tongue out. She sat down on the floor Indian style. "So what's the new girl like?"

"Well..." I was hesitant.

"For starters what color are her eyes? She was asleep last I saw her." Karin said.

"Jade green." I prompted. "She seems kinda... I don't know out of it..."

"How so?" Kotone asked.

"She just seems completely fucking clueless is all." I said shrugging.

"Well having near complete amnesia will do that to a person." Karin said annoyed, she had a bit of Lady Nozomi's temper.

"I can't shake the feeling that I've met her before..." I said.

Karin looked nervous for a second, or was I imagining things? "I doubt you have. But what I want to know is what happened to her to make her forget. I mean there are no signs of injury so it's unlikely it happened in a battle and there were no signs of a fight anywhere near the Angel's Lake."

"Maybe she tripped and hit her head on the Memorial?" Kotone offered. "I mean Kabuto and Nami did find her near it."

"I don't think anyone but you is that fucking clumsy." I said shaking my head. "Besides a fall like that would leave one Hell of a bump."

"I gotta agree with Tayuya on that one, Kotone." Karin said. "But here's a really strange thing... There were no foot prints anywhere around the lake besides Kabuto's and Nami's... And she couldn't have been there before the snow fall because she was barely covered in snow and she would have been dead by the time Kabuto and Nami found her if she had been."

"Well I'm just tossing ideas around!" Kotone huffed. "I wish Lady Nozomi was here... She could find out who she is no problem."

"I knew you were talking about me." We all jumped and looked at the door, Akiha stood there. She didn't seem angry or hurt. In fact she smiled calmly. "It's alright. I would be talking about me as well if I was you." She stared off into space. "I wish I had the answers for you but I don't sadly." She blinked returning to Earth. "Who is Lady Nozomi?"

Sadness struck me. "She was one of our best friends." I said quietly.

"She gave her life for her Genin. For all of us... So we could have a chance..." A tear leaked from Kotone's eye before she whipped it away.

"She was strong. Brave. Caring. Forgiving. Intelligent. Hot tempered. No self confidence. Wise. A great teacher and healer..." Karin trailed off.

Akiha was silent. "I see... She was special. I can understand that... What did she look like?"

_Dam she's not going to leave is she? I don't want to talk about her..._ "She had wavy, golden blond, waist length hair. Light brown eyes. About thirteen years of age." I just gave her enough to make her shut up, talking about Lady Nozomi was hard for any of us. I couldn't shake the feeling off.

Karin's POV

Akiha's eyes traveled to the picture on Tayuya's desk. An odd expression crossed her face, the same expression she had when she looked at the picture in the Labs. _Her Chakra is so familiar..._

"I'm sorry I just barged in like that. I was actually wondering where the showers are..." She trailed off.

"It's alright." Tayuya said shrugging.

Nozomi's death seemed to have mellowed almost everyone out, or at least got them so depressed that they didn't care much about anything. I was one of the few people who didn't call her 'Lady Nozomi'. Mostly because we were so close before she earned her title.

We walked to the showers together. Tayuya, Kotone and I smirked as Akiha went into a stall. Just because we were depressed about Nozomi's death doesn't mean we're going to stop the tradition of messing with the new girl.

She came strolling out ten minutes later with the towel wrapped around her body. It was obvious how large her breasts were when she was wearing only a towel. She kinda reminded me of Lady Tsunade in that aspect... And now that I look at her again Akiha's just a little shorter than her as well... Weird... _Wait. Why isn't she itching?_

The girls and women were looking at each other and whispered confused.

"What's wrong?" Akiha asked blinking.

"Ummm. Did you guys put the right soap in her stall?" Kotone asked.

"What you mean the poison ivy soap?" Akiha asked. We all nodded, wondering how she could have possibly known that. "I'm just not allergic to the stuff is all."

"You have got to be kidding me!" "Damn." "There goes a classic." "Crap! I always look forward to this one..."

I can't shake the feeling I know this girl...

Akiha's POV

I walked through the halls without having to think twice about where I was going. Which is very strange considering how big this place was. I couldn't shake the feeling that I met these people before, that I knew this place... And that guy, Orochimaru... I couldn't shake the feeling that he was... I don't know... Hiding something...

I lay on my bed and rolled over. I had my arm out stretched, like I was supposed to be holding something... I could shake the feeling something was missing. Something important...

A sharp pain went through my eyes. I saw a flash of something... But what I'm not sure.

There were so many feelings I couldn't shake... But the biggest one was some sort of hole in my heart... Like it had been cut open, a huge chunk had been taken out and never healed right.

I didn't even bother changing into my nightgown. I just drifted off into sleep.


	4. Shogi and Memories

Tsunade's POV

I had finished at least three stacks of paperwork and I haven't even made a dent. I sighed. "Sometimes I feel like I'll never be done." I muttered to myself as I rested one elbow on the desk and my head in my hand.

I opened my top right drawer and gazed at the picture that lay on the bottom. It was last Christmas when it was taken. It was only of Nozomi, Naruto and Shikamaya. Nozomi smiled gently, I had never noticed how wise she looked when she did that. Shikamaya was rolling her eyes since Naruto, at the last minute, had put a pair of holiday deer antlers on her, despite that there was a faint smile on her face. Naruto's eyes were shut because he was laughing so hard as he pointed at Shikamaya.

I smiled despite the fact that there will never be another time like that again. Nozomi was dead. Naruto was off training. Shikamaya was the only one of the three here and she hated me for what I did. The day Nozomi died was a day never liked to remember for several reasons.

Flashback

Nami turned her back to me. I saw her arms move like she was making hand signs. A large puff of smoke surrounded the girls, when the smoke cleared they were gone. They didn't leave her body, they took Nozomi away.

My legs gave out. _WHAT THE HELL HAVE I DONE?_

Jiraiya stared at the spot where Nozomi gave her last breath.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" I heard Shikamaya screech. I turned my head slightly, my eyes widened in shock.

They were all standing, unhurt, all alive.

"Genjutsu." Kurenai said before I could ask. "I didn't make it. Nami did. Very talented at it. Though she did go a bit overboard..." Kurenai trailed off. It had been obvious she was trying to distract us from what had just happened but everyone just gave her a look that said 'Is this really the time for that?'

"I can't believe you..." Shikamaya growled. "You killed her..." her shoulders were shaking with rage and sorrow. "I hate you!" She spat before she took off deeper into the forest.

I got up to go after her but I suddenly couldn't move. Shikamaru had me trapped in his Shadow Paralysis Jutsu. I could have broken out but I just didn't have the mental strength.

"Let her go. She just needs to blow off some steam." Shikamaru said releasing me.

Everyone slowly left, Inari had gone after Shikamaya. I was alone.

End Flashback

Shikamaya still hated me for what I did. She never looked at me, whenever she gave a report to me from a mission she'd just drop the papers on my desk and walk out. My gaze traveled back to the picture.

_Shikamaya... You were always so distant and hid things with your lazy nature and bored expressions... What have you been bottling up all these years...?_

Shikamaya's POV

I moved my rook.

"Checkmate." Shikamaru said.

_Dam!_

"You've been making beginner mistakes, sloppy, un-thought out and aggressive moves for a while now." Shikamaru said gathering up his pieces. I glared at him, he flinched momentarily then his usual lazy expression returned. "I don't think you've noticed but this has been going on since before Nozomi died."

I looked at him in surprise. "I know... I've just been so frustrated lately."

"It's a lot of pressure being the leader of a large group." Shikamaru said. "After Nozomi left it fell to you and Naruto. Now that Naruto's gone for a while you're in charge."

"Don't remind me." I sighed. "What a drag."

"I think you do need to be reminded of it."

_Huh?_

"You know they look solely to you for leadership now. Before it was a joint leadership of Nozomi, Naruto and you." Shikamaru had finished setting up his pieces while I hadn't even touched mine. They still sat in the same spots. "If you act depressed, spiteful, angry; then so will your subordinates. Also you holding onto your anger at Lady Tsunade doesn't help either."

"I can't help but be angry with her."

"That may be true but Nozomi, in her own eyes, was the necessary sacrifice to win the game and complete the mission."

_I hate it when he's right..._

Kitsune's POV

"Pervy Sage why did we have to leave right before winter? Why couldn't we have left as Spring started or something?" Naruto complained as we traveled down a snowy road.

"Because then you would have complained about the rain or the heat." Jiraiya said annoyed. "Besides you have a neck warmer."

"Very funny." I muttered. Here I am one of the most powerful beings in this dimension and the highest status I get is a neck warmer? Great.

I looked up at the falling snow. There was a gap in the clouds shaped like an angel.

_Nozomi... I guess you're watching huh?- _Naruto

Naruto barely started walking again when a searing pain went through my heart.

_Did you felt it too, Runt?_

_Yeah... What was that?- _Naruto

_I have no idea..._

"Naruto! Hurry up!"

Jiraiya had stopped when he was almost out of our sight.

"HEY! Wait up!" Naruto took off running. I glanced back up at the clouds as he ran to catch up to Jiraiya. The wings were gone.

I curled up next to Naruto that night. The light of the quarter moon shown right through the tent canvas. I was just about to go to sleep when I heard a single wolf's howl in the distance. With Sumi for a sister I understood the wolves' complex system of howls. This wolf was telling the pack it was coming home with food. The lone female wolf's howl was returned with warmth and welcome.

I was never one for signs but that was just too weird...


	5. Akiha's Power: Dual Dragon Destruction!

Akiha's POV

Otogakure sure was a strange place. I understand the pranks, seeing what I'm made of but what is up with the worms and grass hoppers? Oh well, it tasted like chicken...

That's not the only weird thing about Otogakure... They all live underground, rarely going outside... I mean one would think they'd go outside to train but no. They have several small arenas of many different environments for training. Then there was the Dome. A large, tall, circular fighting arena. It was common for many people to watch the matches held in the Dome. Often more than half the seats on the other side of the Chakra Dome would be filled, depending on who's fighting.

I wonder what it's like to use a Jutsu. I wouldn't know since I've never used one. Or at least I don't think I've ever used one...

The only time people went outside was for missions or to go to Angel's Lake. That's where Kabuto and Nami found me. I don't remember ever going there. I think I'll check it out one of these days. I don't know how long I'll be here, maybe I'll stay even after my memory comes back, if it ever does. I was kinda taken in by a group, Kabuto was amongst them. I noticed there were several groups like the one I was in. They kinda reminded me of families.

I don't know why they took me in but I think it had something to do with a black haired boy named Sasuke... I mean he was kinda cute but they were all telling me he was bad news. I didn't have to be told that. I could sense the darkness within his heart. But he still was cute...

For some reason all of the people in my group felt so familiar. I can't explain it... Tayuya, Karin and Kotone I clicked with quickly, like I knew them before, I seemed to know what they would say and do before they would do it. Jirobo I knew how to get on his good side quickly, eat. I beat him in one eating contest and I earned his respect. In his eyes anyone a good eater can't be all bad. Kidomaru and Sakon... Just crack a few jokes and you're cool with them. Ukon was a little tricky to figure out but encouragement seemed to be what gets him to trust you. Kimimaro was a fairly peaceful kind of person, he was kind to me from the start. Nami, Megumi and Ayame were distant, I think only time will get them to like and trust me. Guren and the other adults were welcoming, like parents would be... There was a boy named Yukimaru who was kind and often asked what I liked to do for fun, I honestly can't remember. So he just started firing off activities, I couldn't help but laugh at his eagerness. Kabuto... I can't explain it at all... I blush when I look at him, I get a warm feeling in my chest, but at the same time something held me back... I don't understand...

I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, the feeling came yet again. He was always so sad, he didn't cry, he was just quiet. Sometimes the others would rest a hand on his shoulder. I couldn't help but wonder why he was so sorrowful.

Tayuya shook her hair out of her face, I saw that funny mark on her neck. I noticed several people had these funny marks on their necks, some on their foreheads... What were they?

"What's with the weird mark?" I asked tucking my bangs behind my ear.

"Weird mark...?" Tayuya asked with venom. "These things have killed people. You could at least call them by name!" She spat.

I hadn't expected her to snap like that. "Ummm... What are they called?"

"Curse Marks." Karin said clutching the back of her neck.

"What do Curse Marks do?" I asked.

"Why don't I show you..." Tayuya said.

"Tayuya!" "I don't think that's such a good idea..." "Don't! She doesn't even know how to fight!"

What I saw next was totally weird. An odd pattern spread from her neck and it spread throughout her body. "You look funny." I tilted my head to one side.

"FUNNY!" Tayuya shrieked. _How did I know she was going to do that?_ "Why don't you fight me and I'll show you how _funny _these things are." She growled.

"Come on Tayuya calm down she didn't know." Kimimaro said placing his hands on her shoulders.

"No." Tayuya pulled away from him. "She's been here a week and we don't even know if she can fight... Now's the perfect time to find out..."

The next thing I knew I was in The Dome. Tayuya was still in Curse Mode. She raised her bone flute to her lips. She played a few notes and I was caught in a Genjutsu, I can't really explain its effects.

I started to panic, but for some reason I was able to relax. I closed my eyes and opened them slowly. I felt them widen in shock. I had broken the Genjutsu... How...?

"Looks like you have some skill if you were able to break my Genjutsu." Tayuya said. "Let's see how you handle this!"

Ukon's POV

Every last one of us were on the edge of our seats.

"She must be good to break Tayuya's Genjutsu." My twin brother, Sakon said to the left of me.

"Yeah... Must be..." I muttered.

I didn't take my eyes off of Akiha's movements. It looked like she was feeling her way through this match, she had no idea what to do. But her speed was amazing. I don't think I've seen anyone move so quickly, not even Lady Nozomi was that fast. And the way she was moving was like an improvised dance, making it up as she went but it was graceful none the less. She was easily dodging Tayuya's Doki, evading and avoiding all of their attacks by sidestepping, back flips, somersaults...

_At this rate she could win just by causing Tayuya to run out of Chakra... If she can keep this up anyway..._

Tayuya was getting frustrated and the Curse Mark was spreading farther. Not good. At this rate she could go into the Second Stage... And with what we were able to figure out was the more you use the Curse Mark the higher the risk...

I glanced to my right at Kabuto, Nami and Karin; they all had similar expressions on their faces, 'Not good.'

_At this rate Tayuya will go into the Second Stage in about two minutes... Either Akiha wins or gives up soon or things could be ugly... Because Tayuya doesn't give up... _

Akiha's fighting style was so similar to Lady Nozomi's... Even though Akiha hadn't used a single Jutsu it was clear she was a Shinobi before she lost her memory. I glanced around the stadium. Everyone was shocked, amazed and on the edge of their seats. The entire base had shown up to see this fight. Even Orochimaru was here. A rare occurrence by far.

Orochimaru was watching Akiha as closely as I had been, but there was a look of knowing on his face... _What does that sadistic jerk know?_

Several people gasped in shock. I quickly returned my attention back to the battle. _A Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu? Akiha can use Water Style... _

"Water Style: Over Flowing River!" Akiha's Jutsu flooded the fighting arena. _That's really advanced stuff! Who the Hell is she?_

Tayuya stood on the water, unlike when she fought Lady Nozomi. Besides even if she hadn't done so Tayuya can swim like a fish now thanks to Lady Nozomi.

"You're good." Tayuya said. _Did Tayuya just give a complement?_

"Uhhhh... Thanks!" Akiha said, her Water Dragon was coiled behind her, ready to strike.

Akiha and her Water Dragon fought together as though they shared a brain. The even destroyed two of Tayuya's Doki. The Dragon destroyed one and Akiha simply kicked the other to splinters. I had never seen such raw strength. I could see the panic and struggle on Tayuya's face as she tried to suppress going into the Second Stage. _Tayuya give it up you can't beat her!_

"Wind Style: Great Hurricane Dragon!" _What! Wind Style on top of Water Style! TAYUYA GIVE UP NOW! YOU CAN'T WIN THIS FIGHT!_

Akiha made a hand sign I'd never seen before, she put her hands together and put down both of her middle fingers. The second he middle fingers were lowered we could see wind whipping around Akiha and the water was splashing everywhere.

"Wind and Water Combine: Dual Dragon Destruction!" Akiha's two dragons shot forward. They entwined like a spiral. I closed my eyes and looked away.

"I GIVE DAM IT! I GIVE!" I heard Tayuya shriek.

That was it. I didn't hear anything else. I opened one eye slowly, the other flew open in shock. Tayuya stood there covering her face with her arms, I could see that she tucked her flute behind her one arm to protect it. But there was no need. The Dragons hovered mere inches away from her.

Tayuya looked up and lowered her arms slowly. She sighed in relief, I saw her Curse Mark retreat. _She was able to push it back before it could get worse. Good._

Akiha raised her middle fingers and pressed them together. The Wind Dragon slowly disappeared into a gentle breeze, the Water Dragon slowly trickled into the water below.

"You're really good Tayuya." Akiha said. She pulled her hands apart and the water that was under their feet slowly drained to God knows where.

The second their feet were one solid ground Tayuya knelt down slowly, her flute in one hand and her other keeping her from collapsing completely.

"Did I do this?" Akiha asked blinking. _I don't believe it! She didn't even realize what she was doing!_

There were whispers from around the arena. I glanced back at Orochimaru, he even seemed impressed.

_Some of those Jutsu she used were Jonin level... And that Jutsu. Dual Dragon Destruction... I'd never heard of it... Did she make that up...? Akiha's true strength is far beyond anything I could have imagined..._


	6. The Dojutsu: Jikan No Mirage!

Akiha's POV

People around here were showing me new found respect since I beat Tayuya two days ago but the thing is I don't really remember the fight... It was all kind of a blur. The others say it's normal for that to happen but I don't know...

They were all talking about the new 'Princess Gale' movie that was coming out next week and in celebration of it a nearby town was having a 'Princess Gale' marathon at its theater. They were thinking about going, even the adults.

"Akiha. Otogakure to Akiha. Come in Akiha."

I shook my head. "Huh?"

"You were like in a trance or something." Karin said. "Any way. You wanna come with us?"

"Oh... I... I don't..." It's not like I didn't have the money to go. I had plenty of it.

When Karin and Ukon went to go investigate the place where Kabuto and Nami found me they found a pouch that clipped onto my belt. When I opened it the pouch was crammed with money. Weird...

"Come on it'll be fun!" Yukimaru said.

"Come on Akiha!" "You gotta come!"

Karin leaned over to me. "Besides Sakon lost a bet to Lady Nozomi a while back. Next time we all went out he's paying." Karin winked.

"I... I still don't know..." I tucked one of my chin length bangs behind my ear then fiddling with the chopsticks in my hair and then running my hand down my braid which stopped halfway and just hung there.

"We're seeing them all from the very first to the new one!" Guren said. "So it's not like you'll miss anything if you've never seen them before."

"I've seen them all at least ten times." I said off handedly as I twirled the ends of my knee length hair absent mindedly.

"Great. So you can remember that but you can't remember where you came from." Nami said sighed. "Or even your last name..."

I shrugged. "I'm just grateful I know my own first name... I think I had a middle on too..."

"A middle name?" "That's unusual..."

"What was it?" We all looked up in surprise. Kabuto had actually said something for once. "Your middle name?"

I thought a moment. "Maria..." I rolled the 'r' a bit for some reason.

"Akiha Maria... I can see why your parents did that it sounds cool!" Ayame said excitedly.

I rolled my eyes and was about to say something else but Sasuke walked up to us. He had an annoyed look on his face. "Lord Orochimaru wants a word with Akiha."

"Got promoted to messenger boy, eh?" Kidomaru said jeeringly. The entire table burst into laughter, this even made Kabuto laugh and out of his zombie like state. It even spread to some of the other groups at other table, soon the entire Mess Hall was in an uproar. I giggled slightly.

Sasuke looked furious. I stopped laughing immediately and stood up from the table. "Alright I'm coming."

They were still laughing as we left the Mess Hall. "Don't pay attention to them." I said as I followed Sasuke down the halls."They're just being stupid and immature."

"Hm." Sasuke said.

_Emo little boy aren't you?_ "What's your problem anyway?" I looked down at him, I may be short but I was taller than a thirteen year old kid.

He glanced up at me. "My Clan was killed."

"Oh I heard about the Massacre... I can understand that you'd be bitter about it." I said gently. I remembered something. "Sorry if it seems like I'm prying here but I've been getting the message that you and Lady Nozomi didn't get along well..."

"She doesn't deserve that title." He snapped.

I was rather taken aback. "Why? From what I gather she did a lot of amazing things." I blinked.

"She knew..." He growled. "She knew about the Massacre before it happened. She could have stopped it... But she didn't."

I stopped in my tracks and my hands flew to my eyes. My eyes burned, they felt like someone was stabbing them and pouring acid directly on the wounds.

_No! I don't want to see this! STOP! Please... I don't..._

Everything went black.

Sasuke's POV

I no longer heard Akiha's footsteps behind me. I stopped and turned. Akiha was withering in pain on the ground. "Akiha!"

I knelt down beside her and shook her. "Akiha! Akiha wake up!"

Her breath was shallow, her shaking grew worse, the agony on her face was horrible. _What's wrong with her?_

"Akiha!" I shook her again.

She jerked about and started sobbing. "Please... I don't wanna see this any more... Make it all stop... Please..." She sounded so pitiful. Slowly the pain on her face was fading, she moaned and sat up slowly.

"Are you alright?" I asked. I don't know why I was asking.

"I... I think so..."

I noticed Akiha's eyes. They had pupils... They were oddly shaped as well. Her right eye looked like a multi-pointed sun or star and the other was a crescent moon. _A Dojutsu?_

Akiha stood up her eyes held a haunted look. She shook her head slightly, her usual expression replaced her haunted one. Then she got up like nothing had happened."Well, what are we sitting around for?"

"You mean you don't know what just happened?" I asked.

"What? I tripped I think... Didn't I?" She looked at me confused and blinked.

"Uhh... Sure. You tripped."

Akiha shrugged it off and spun on the heel of her wedged sandals. She started walking down the hall, she turned around with an embarrassed look on her face. "I have... No idea where I'm going." She laughed a bit as she fiddled with the chopsticks that held her hair in a bun on top of her head.

_What is wrong with this girl?_

Orochimaru's POV

There was a knock on the door. _Took the boy long enough! _"Yes?"

Sasuke walked in with Akiha behind him. She kept her head down respectfully, yet she stood shoulders back and proud. The confusion on her face was plain but accepting. _Could she not be...?_

Then I noticed her eyes. Those eyes... The multirayed sun. The crescent moon. That Dojutsu... I've seen it with one other person, one other girl. I never imagined this girl would have _her_ Dojutsu... Jikan No Mirage... Mirage of Time... I have no doubt about who Akiha is now. But how could this have happened... She was supposed to dead.


	7. A Choice: Join or Die!

Akiha's POV

Lord Orochimaru looked at me strangely, his eyes didn't leave mine. I kinda freaked me out but something told me don't look away. But I still kept my head down respectfully.

"Sasuke, you are dismissed." Lord Orochimaru said, not taking his eyes off me.

Sasuke didn't look too happy about leaving, but he nodded and left just the same. I was a little uneasy about this. Lord Orochimaru nodded for me to close the door, I did so. I was still unsure of what to do.

"Umm... Why am I here...? Sir..." I tiled my head to side and blinked slowly.

"You don't remember anything do you?"

"I remember my name is Akiha Maria... But I don't know my last name..." I looked upward at the stone ceiling. "I know I was obviously a Chunin level Kunoichi but from what Village I don't know... Funny isn't it? I can remember that I have a middle name and what it is but I can't remember my last... Then again it is unusual for people to have middle names so maybe that's why it sticks out in my memory..." My eyes hurt again but the pain was much less intense. I felt one of my hands fly to my eyes.

It was all black there was no vision this time. Just sound...

Orochimaru's POV

I sat there while she covered her eyes in pain. Completely normal for an untrained Jikan No Mirage user. Two types of pain can come with this Kekkei Genkai. Physical and emotional. Pain is unavoidable with the Jutsu. From what I gathered from my encounters with the previous Jikan No Mirage user the stronger the emotions of the vision the greater the pain. Happy, sad, good, bad it doesn't matter what the emotions of the vision are, what matters is the strength of the mood.

The vision quickly passed. She shook her head to clear it. "Why am I here?" She repeated.

Akiha's POV

I looked at him curiously. He didn't answer me. I looked up at the ceiling again. "I don't know anything else about who I am..." I looked back at him. "I remember that. I found it at one point but I can't remember what it is now..."

"Found what?" He asked.

"I found out why I was here. Alive on Earth at all. Why I was born." I stared at the ground. "But then something happened... I can't..." I grabbed my head. It ached from trying to remember. "I have no idea who I am... Where I'm from... If I even have anyone or anywhere to go home to..." I shook my head slowly "Any ways why did you call me here?"

"Now that you have been living here for a while and know the location of this base you have two options."

I raised my eyebrow at him. _This is going to be good._

"You can either die..."

_I don't think so!_

"Or you stay and become a Oto Kunoichi. You are obviously powerful and to kill someone like you would be such a waste."

My heart stopped momentarily. _Death or betray whatever Village I'm from by joining another... Both are... Unimaginable..._

I went over everything I could remember. I was a Chunin. I was a part of an all girl squad, including my Jonin Sensei. I'm pretty sure one of them was my cousin. This would be so much easier if I could remember what happened that changed everything. Was I banished? Was this all a set up and they kidnapped me? Did I run away? What happened?

I noticed there was an Oto hitai-ate on his desk. And next to it was a kunai.

_It's not fair! WHY DO I HAVE TO CHOSE? Why? Why...?_


	8. Reconcile and Vows: A Quest Begins!

Shikamaya's POV

I walked slowly down the halls of the Hokage Mansion. I have no idea what I'm going to say to her when I see her. I love her but what she did... But Nozomi knew the risks and she was willing to take them... Shikamaru and Inari Sensei were right, Nozomi saw herself as the piece that had to be sacrificed.

Flashback

"I can't believe you..." I growled. "You killed her..." my shoulders were shaking with rage and sorrow. I wanted to _kill_ her for this! "I hate you!" I spat. I turned and raced further into the Death Forest.

_How could she kill her? Nozomi, I'm sorry I should have known this wouldn't have worked!_

I ran and ran until my legs gave out. I lay there on the ground shaking. I wouldn't permit myself to cry, Nozomi would never forgive me if I did.

"Shikamaya..." I recognized Inari Sensei's concerned voice.

I sat up slowly. I noticed we were in the place where Nozomi, Xia and I had met up with Karin, Oda, Ginjiro, Dosu, Zaku and Kin. I looked at Inari Sensei, her deep sea blue eyes were slightly wet from fighting back tears, her anguish was plain as day. She sat down next to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"I hate her... I hate her..." I mumbled.

"It's alright. I know it hurts. I know..." Inari Sensei held me tightly.

"I never thought she would do something like that..." I swallowed to keep myself from crying. "I know she's been out of it lately but this... I never..." If I kept talking I would burst into tears.

"I don't think she wanted to do it." Inari Sensei whispered. "She felt she had no choice."

"But she did... She did have the choice!"

"That Lady Tsunade did have and she chose wrong. I know she regrets what she's done and I'm just as angry with her as you are, Shikamaya. It never get easier losing someone you love, but you learn to handle it better as time goes on. But sometimes the pain gets overwhelming and you can't handle it anymore and you just snap..."

End Flashback

I pause a few feet from the door, on the other side was Grandma Tsunade, most likely buried under a mountain of paperwork. I was taking multiple deep breaths, I held in one of them as I knocked on the door.

"Come in." I heard her voice from the other side of the door. I exhaled as I opened the door slowly.

She was doing a mountain of paperwork, just as I thought she would be. She looked up at me as I shut the door. She didn't know what to think about me being here. To be honest neither did I. This was one of those tense, awkward moments where both parties want the other to say something first.

I was struggling to remain calm while looking her in the eye. The pain and sorrow on Grandma Tsunade's face was as plain as Inari Sensei's was. I can't imagine what my face looked like.

"What do you want me to say?" Grandma Tsunade asked me tiredly. "If I say I'm sorry it won't be good enough for you but what else do you want me to say?"

"Why?"

"I don't know myself, Shikamaya. Part of it was because she left. The one trace, the one scrap I had left of my youngest daughter... Had left us... She hurt me. She hurt Jiraiya. She hurt Kushina, Shizune, your mother and father. She hurt Xia, Inari, Neji, Lee, Sakura, Ino, Tenten, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, Shikamaru, Choji... But worst of all she hurt you and Naruto. To me hurting so many people like that was unforgivable."

I was in complete shock. I didn't know what to say.

"But I made that pain worse for all of us. And that is unforgivable." She got up and walked over to me. She placed her hands on my shoulders and bent down so that we were at eye level. "I don't blame you for hating me." Tear filled her light brown eyes.

I felt myself shaking, it turned to silent sobs, then the tears couldn't be stopped. I practically threw myself at Grandma Tsunade, she wrapped her arms around me in, slightly in shock. _I'm sorry Nozomi... I'm just not strong like you..._

"I don't hate you..." I cried into her breasts. "I'm just so scared, and stressed and angry... I just can't-" My sobs wouldn't allow me to talk anymore.

Grandma Tsunade put one of her hands on the back of my head, she rocked me a little. She used to do this to Naruto and Nozomi when they were little, never to me. But the reason behind that is because I never cried, I wanted to be strong when Nozomi and Naruto couldn't...

I remember something Nozomi told me once. 'Cry for a day and move on.' At the time she had been referring to if either of us ever got boyfriends we'd cry over the break up for a day move on the next day. But maybe she meant with more than just that... No one can ever understand her better than I did. I knew her best... And I see she had so much left to do but I'd have to pick up where she left off. I wouldn't let everything she worked for go to waste. I promise and I'll keep it! Just as it is Naruto's, I will never go back on my word, because that is my Nindo, my Ninja Way.

Yugito's POV

_Nozomi was alive. I can feel it. _I thought urgently as I packed a bag. _And I'll find her and take her back to Konoha where she belongs._

"Yugito, even if we're right and Nozomi is alive what makes you think she'll want to go back?" Aoko asked me from her spot inside the lit fireplace.

"What do you mean she might not want to go back?" I snapped.

Aoko pressed herself to the back of the fireplace, she looked hurt and a little scared. I rarely lost my temper with the little kitten, with anyone! I immediately felt like the biggest jerk alive.

"Oh... I'm so sorry..." I knelt down and scooped Aoko out of the fire and held her close. Fire could never burn me, it was probably one of the powers that came with being the Two Tailed's Jinchuriki. "I'm sorry... I just want her to be alive so bad..." I kissed her on the head lightly.

"I want Sumi to be alive too..." Aoko said looking up at with her yellow and green eyes. "I miss them both... But... Even if Nozomi and Sumi are alive they might not want to go back to Konohagakure... I mean would you want to go back...?"

I closed my eyes for a moment. "I don't know, Aoko... But either way we have to find her. I have to know if she's alive."

We left the Nii Clan Estate early the next morning. Some of my family came to see me off.

"Be careful, Yugito." One of the elders warned. "The road may be more difficult than you think." She was referring to what I might find, not just the journey itself.

"Thank you. I will bear that in mind." I nodded to her. Bayarmaa was one of the few Elders to give me a chance growing up, she made the Clan see I was not a monster when I was young. That hosting the Two Tailed was an honor and we should be proud to have its host in the Clan. She sure made my life easier.

"Nii..." Bayarmaa said slowly. "Means 'second place'... We have been taunted for as long as our Clan existed. But we took the name 'Nii' because as individuals we put our family, our friends and our Village before ourselves..."

"Yes... I know this..." I said, but I made sure she understood I wasn't being ignorant. That I was merely saying I understood what she was saying.

"This young girl- Excuse me woman. This young woman sacrificed her own _life_ for information that would save over a hundred lives. And earlier she sacrificed herself for not only her friends but you as well. You, even after an S Rank Mission, worn, battered and low on Chakra; went in there to help them. Despite the fact that Kumogakure could have called you a traitor for assisting some Suna, Konoha and if I recall correctly a Taki Genin... You put those children before yourself then..." She looked at me with her dark brown eyes, a feature we both shared.

I braced myself for glares from my Clan for what I had done and was doing, but they did not. Despite our Clan's views we could still get touchy about helping those from other Villages.

"And you are doing so now. Again the Hidden Cloud Village could see you as a traitor for seeking out this young woman. You are placing your own well being and reputation on the line for her. You are putting yourself Second Place to this girl... I am proud of you."

I had to fight back the tears that were welling up in my eyes. I couldn't help but hug the old woman. "Thank you... For everything..."

"Don't you think a thing of it, child. I am a Nii after all. But then again that could just make it mean more."

I held my hand up in good bye as I left the Estate. I heard people calling 'Good luck!' 'Bye!'

I took a few deep breaths as we walked to Kumo's gates where we were to meet Kirabi and Hachirou.

"You two ready to go?" I asked them. "Didn't forget anything?"

"No. We didn't forget a thing." Hachirou said before Kirabi could do one of his raps.

Kirabi looked a little put out by the look on his face he had prepared one ahead of time. I laughed slightly at this.

"So you two are really going through with this?" I instantly recognized A's voice.

"Yes. She's our sister." I walked out the gates before he could say another word. Aoko followed quickly at my heels. I didn't have to look back to know Kirabi was just looking at his elder brother shaking his head. Kirabi and Hachirou quickly caught up to us.

"We'll find her." Kirabi said placing a hand on my shoulder that night as we sat around a campfire.

I looked at him, his face was slightly in shadow by the blue firelight. I smiled in thanks.

I gazed at the dancing blue flames, courtesy of Aoko who was curled up in the fire asleep. Hachirou stared at the sky as if it held some sort of answer.

"We should find the other Jinchuriki before we go looking for Nozomi." Hachirou said at last. He hadn't said anything since we left. Actually Aoko had been pretty silent as well. "We need to know if they felt it too. This sort of thing should be discussed face to face."

"I agree." I said.

Kirabi nodded his agreement. He had been usually quiet since Nozomi died. They were, in their words not mine, Poetry Buddies. Nozomi rather liked Kirabi's constant rhyming, said it was good for her muse as well. I'm just thankful she never picked it up.

_I'll find you. I promise... I won't go back on this vow... I swear it..._


	9. The Truth From An Annoying Raccoon!

Gaara's POV

"You alright, Gaara?" Temari snapped me out of my train of thought. I glared at her, she looked frightened for a moment then looked mad. "Gaara, I was only asking you if you were alright. You don't need to act like that!"

"He's been like this for about a week." Kankuro off handedly as he fiddled with one of his puppets.

Temari had been on a mission for the last two weeks, might be her way of getting over Nozomi's death. I thought about what Nozomi told me so many months ago in the Death Forest.

Flashback

"You all put yourselves through that much pain because of one person?"

"Aquellos que te aman son los que más te harán sufrir" she said fluently.

"Which means what in what language?" I asked. Any other language besides Japanese was considered a dead language.

"In Spanish it means 'those who love you the most are the ones who will make you suffer the most."

End Flashback

I had to agree with that.

"Gaara...?" Temari asked. I turned my head to her. "Is there something you're not telling us?" Temari had her hands on her hips, to be honest it was a little frightening.

_Don't say a word about the lightning!- _Shukaku

_Why?_

_It's a Jinchuriki thing. No one but a Jinchuriki would understand.-_ Shukaku

"No. There's nothing." I lied.

Temari looked like she didn't believe me. But she just rolled her eyes and walked away to polish her fan.

I could hear them whispering to each other; Kankuro and Temari.

"What is with him?" Temari asked.

Kankuro shrugged. "From what he told me the bonds that Jinchuriki make are unbreakable. Or something like that. Nozomi's death was probably a deep wound for him."

They continued whispering but I tuned them out.

_Do you think the others felt it?_

_I wouldn't doubt it...- _Shukaku

"-been so restless lately." I caught part of what Kankuro said.

"How?"

"Like he can't sit still. He often walks the perimeter of the Village walls. As if he needs to leave or something."

_That's it!-_ Shukaku

_What's it?_

_We have been restless lately! And I know why!-_ Shukaku

_And that is?_

_Tell you later! Just pack for a long journey!-_ Shukaku

Shukaku jumped off my head and ran to my room, not without bumping into the wall first.

"Clumsy raccoon.." I muttered before leaving the living room.

"Gaara...?" Temari asked.

I didn't answer, I just followed Shukaku to my room. It was night by the time I was finished.

"We'll leave in the morning." Shukaku said scratching his ear with his tail.

"Why not now? It's not like we need sleep."

"True. But one I like sleep. Two we still have to clear this with the elders and I don't think they'll be happy with you bugging them at this hour. And since this is last minute I think it would be nice to be on their cranky side..." Shukaku paused before looking at the quarter moon. "Well... On their less cranky side anyway."

We both fell asleep quickly, it was a dreamless night which made things go faster. The sun had barely risen in the desert sky, it was an unusual purple and blue color.

"Get... Off..." I said picking Shukaku up by the scruff of his neck on put him on the floor.

"Good morning to you too." Shukaku scratched his ear with his spiky tail.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my bag. Shukaku jumped on top of my head. "Didn't I just put you on the floor?"

Shukaku yawned and curled up on my head.

_Annoying raccoon!_

I walked through the virtually deserted streets of Sunagakure. There were a few people opening shops and some early morning shoppers. Some of them waved to me, I held my hand up not wanting to be rude. People around here were finally starting to accept me. They would have to since I was in training to be the next Kazekage. The Village elders were seeing to things in the time being.

The elders normally showed up around five thirty, they complained about getting up early but if they didn't they wouldn't be able to get the day's work done. Chiyo and Ebizo were always the last to get here and they were walking towards the doors just as I was.

"You're here early Gaara." Ebizo commented.

"What's with the bag?" Chiyo asked getting straight to the point.

"I have a request to put in with you and the other elders." I said. _Please let this work. Whatever Shukaku has planned better be worth me getting my head bit off and spit out by the elders!_

Chiyo squinted her eyes at me and motioned for me to follow her and Ebizo.

Shukaku looked at the gathered elders from on top of my head. He took a deep breath before speaking. "About a week ago Gaara and I had a strange feeling; like lightning through the heart... I know what it means."

The elders glanced at each other nervously, unsure of where this was going, well except Chiyo she just kept her eyes on Shukaku. Shukaku and I were the reason why she and Ebizo rejoined the council. She felt she owed it to me.

"And that is...?" Chiyo asked just wanting to get to the point.

"It could mean one of two things, but based on the strength of it and it came twice in eight hours it probably means both."

"Which is...?" Chiyo was getting annoyed.

"That one: a new Jinchuriki was created."

_What? A new Jinchuriki...?_ By the looks on the elders' faces they were thinking the same thing I was.

"And... That Sumi and Nozomi Maria Senju... Are alive again..."

This sent deeper shock into the elders and myself.

"Nozomi... Is alive...?" "It can't be..."

"I don't know how she came back but one thing is for sure she is alive again. And as for the new Jinchuriki it is my elder brother Mizu who has received a Jinchuriki." Shukaku said slowly.

_Dam raccoon! Couldn't have told me any of this!_

_Nope- _Shukaku

_I hate you so bad right now._

"My elder sister Aoko, the Two Tailed, and my elder brother Hachirou, the Eight Tailed; have gone with their Jinchuriki to search for Nozomi and Sumi. Nozomi is also in the presence of two other Jinchuriki. The new Jinchuriki of Mizu as well as Miu and Nami. Miu is a cousin, she got dragged to this dimension with us. Miu is the Zero Tailed Masked Leech."

"So you are asking to join the search?" Chiyo asked.

"Yes... My family has been separated for a long time, we haven't all been together since Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage and second Jinchuriki to Sumi the Eleven Tailed, was in possession of us. And at that time all those years ago, Miu was somehow separated from us about two centuries before we were divided amongst the Hidden Villages."

_How much do these Tails keep from us?_

"I know for a fact that every last Jinchuriki and Tail felt the shock." Shukaku continued. "Gaara and I have restless for ever since the shock. The Shock is a subconscious mechanism that is used to summon us all to one location in urgent situations. We will all feel the pull to Shizuka Na Jinkan No Yama."

"Mountain of the Still Time?" one of the elders asked.

"I've never heard of it." "Neither have I."

"Of course not!" Shukaku said. "It's a sacred place to the Tails, Jinchuriki and Senchiha Clan. You can only find your way there if you are one of the three, possibly two of the three..." Shukaku trailed off then shook his head to get back on track. "Any way we feel our way there, we don't memorize it. It's impossible too. I don't think any of us have taken the same route twice. Gaara and I must go there. It is simply how it is."

_And you never bothered to tell me any of this?_

_Never crossed my mind-_ Shukaku

_Annoying raccoon._

_Hey! I resemble that remark!- _Shukaku

"Rather last minute isn't it?" one elder asked.

"Welcome to my world." I said crossing my arms.

The elders whispered and then nodded to each other.

"Very well." Ebizo said. "Leave when you wish."

"That'll be right away." Shukaku said before I could answer. "Oh and no one else can know about anything that was discussed here."

"Why?" one elder asked.

"Because I can kill you all right now if you think about telling _anyone_ about this." Shukaku said before he leapt off my head and left the room. That shut the elders up, they knew he wouldn't do it but well...

"Annoying raccoon." I muttered before we left the elders to their work.

I let my feet guide me to the right gates. Shukaku was right, I just felt where I was going. Though I didn't know my heart did. Though it did give me a slight headache.

"Gaara!" I looked up to the roof tops to see my siblings racing along them toward me.

"Gaara, where are you going?" Temari asked. "You aren't-?"

"You two are making my headache worse." They both looked rather taken aback by my abrupt statement. "I'm going away for a short while but I'll be back."

"Where are you going?" Kankuro asked.

"It's a Jinchuriki thing." I said before I left them standing there dumbfounded.

Fu's POV

I sat in the large oak tree that was the heart of the Village. I felt a strong pull to the northeast. I can't explain it.

"Hey! Fu!" I barely heard my name being called.

I jumped, flipped and slid down the Tree of Faith. Cho flew down beside in perfect sync with me.

"Show off." Shibuki said as I landed in a one hand, my body straight as a nail.

I giggled a bit as I slowly stood on my feet. "What is it? Is it urgent? Troubling? Vital? Imperative?"

"I don't know exactly... A kid about our age from Sunagakure is here to see you. _He _didn't say why he was here." I think I detected jealousy in his voice.

"Did he have red hair, blue eyes with dark markings around them?" I asked.

"And a raccoon on his head?" Cho asked quietly.

"Yeah that's him." Shibuki said suspiciously. _For God's sake ask me out!_

"He's a Jinchuriki like me." I said. "Is he at the gates?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks Shibuki." I winked at him. Cho enlarged herself to Mounting Size and I rested myself in the crest of her horn. I could have sworn I saw him blush.

I was at the gates seconds later.

"That was fast." Gaara said off handedly.

"So why are you here? Why didn't you contact me telepathically?" I raised on of my light green eyebrows.

"Is there somewhere we can talk alone? Where no one can over hear us?" Gaara said urgently.

"Yeah. The Tree of Faith. No one goes to the top but me." I mounted Cho once again and held out my hand to help him on Cho. By the looks on their faces neither liked heights very much.

We were at the top of the Tree of Faith in a matter of seconds.

"Cho is really fast..." Gaara said as he gained his footing on the large thick branch. He without doubt didn't like being up this high.

"What's the urgency? Emergency?" I asked.

"It's nothing bad." Shukaku said from his spot on Gaara's head. "It's actually rather good news."

"Nozomi and Sumi are alive. That's what the shock was about." Gaara said.

"Nozomi... She's..." I felt on the verge of tears.

"The second shock was her. The first one was a new Jinchuriki being created." Shukaku said.

"So Mizu got a new Jinchuriki..." Cho said softly.

"Have you been feeling a pull towards the Land of Bears?" I asked.

Gaara nodded. "We all have to go there."

I nodded in agreement. "We can have arrangements for you for the night." I said.

"Thank you." Shukaku said.

I had Cho fly Gaara and Shukaku down since they were obviously uncomfortable with being so high up.

We left early the next morning. I said good bye to Shibuki, he didn't seem jealous anymore. I think he and Gaara had a talk the other day. Most people wouldn't think Shibuki for the jealous type but he was.

Gaara, Shukaku, Cho and I let our hearts guide us where we needed to go. It did give me a slight headache though. I had a feeling it was only a matter of time before we ran into the others. I only hope Nozomi and Sumi are amongst them.


	10. To Iwagakure!

Roshi's POV

I sat in a snowy field while Valin examined a flower, rare that there were any this time of year.

"What are you doing you crazy baboon?"

Valin looked back at me then at the flower. I stood up and walked over to him. _A snowdrop__...?_

"Snowdrops are the first flowers to appear in the begging of the year..." He examined the flower more carefully.

"That is true..." I adjusted my hitai-ate.

"But this one shouldn't have even sprung up yet... It's not its time..." He continued squinting at it.

"You think it means something?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"The world does work in mysterious ways..." Valin said. "But then again it could mean nothing! An accident!" He threw up his arms and walked away saying some happy chant in another language.

"Crazy baboon." I shook my head. _How did I gets stuck with this crazy baboon. But there are no accidents in life..._

I looked at the snowdrop trying to recall something of significance to me that had to do with snowdrops. Nothing came to mind.

The sun was starting to set. I used my Lave Style to make a small, dry, igneous rock platform for me to pitch my tent. This is when Lava Style comes in handy the most, during the winter. Especially During Iwagakure's frigid winters.

I shudder at the thought of the place I hadn't been to in years. The last time I was there was when Han was five, twenty-one years ago. The people there were just as cold, hard and uncaring as the winters. I didn't hate the place, I just disliked it. I'll never understand why Han decided to stay there when he was young instead of traveling with me.

"Your mind is like a parachute, it only works when it is open." Valin said climbing up my back. "And the boy was rather young."

"I still should have gone to check up on him..." I gazed into the fire that was burning on the platform. "I wonder how the boy is...?"

"There is but one way to find out." Valin said. "Go see him. You two barely knew each other there for a mental connection couldn't be formed. Going to see him is the only way to know how he is."

I gritted my teeth at the very thought of the place but I knew I had no choice. I wasn't too far from Takigakure which wasn't too far from Iwagakure... But it was in the opposite direction that I was being pulled by The Shock.

I sighed as I watched the fire die. I had to go back to the place eventually so I might as well have a good reason for going there.

I was ready to set off when something told me to look across the field.

"Well this is a coincidence!" I called. The two people turned thier heads to look at me.

"Roshi! How have you been?" Fu and Gaara raced towards me.

"Not too bad." I shrugged. Valin climbed off my back to greet his siblings. "Where are you two headed?"

"Shizuka Na Jinkan No Yama..." Fu said dramatically. "The Mountain of the Still Time."

"So you felt The Shock too..." Valin said. "Hmmm... If that is the case then it was no accident that we ran into each other." Valin bounced on his knuckles a bit; one of his four tails hit me in the face. _Crazy baboon._

"We're heading there as well." I said. "But I have to make a stop in Iwa first."

"Iwagakure's in the other direction." Gaara commented.

"I know but I have to see Han, Jinchuriki to the Five Tailed; Tasunke."

"We all felt The Shock." Shukaku said. "They'll come."

"This is just something I have to do." I said gently. I knew how Shukaku could get.

"Well if you're going to see a fellow Jinchuriki then I'll come too!" Fu said.

"Please don't rhyme." Gaara said. "We'll have to deal with a lot of that once we meet up with Yugito and Killer Bee."

"Actually that was unintentional." Fu shrugged.

"We'll travel faster if we carry you..." Cho said quietly.

I rarely heard Cho speak since I met her. Her voice was light, kind and slightly soprano. She would often avert her compound, light blue eyes when she spoke by turning her head away.

The Tails enlarged themselves to Mounting Size. I was impressed with their speed, I had never ridden Valin before and it felt exhilarating. Cho seemed like she was going rather slow, like she was holding herself back. Fu had Cho fly up high and did a loop-the-loop.

"Show off." I scarcely heard Gaara say over the wind that was rushing past my ears.

I could hear Fu's laughter plain as day as she and Cho flew back down again. It amazed me how different our personalities are.

Gaara was seclusive, slightly as kids say it emo, but he cared. Yugito was wise for her age, kind, openly caring, but could be tough on those she cared about. Fu was bright, bubbly, a chatterbox, had quite a vocabulary, a show off and got furious when people called Cho a beast. Killer Bee is very proud of his own power, cocky, stubborn, overconfident, lazy but he like the others cared. Naruto was very much like Killer Bee and had quite a similar out look on things as Fu.

Lady Nozomi from what I heard was unique, a mixture of many personality traits. Wise, yet would forget about her own well being if it meant saving someone else, temperamental, yet in control, easily annoyed, yet had patience and was sympathetic, she was powerful but had no self confidence. It would truly have been an honor if I got to meet her but sadly fate had other plans and we never got the chance.

We were only a mile from Iwa, I took the lead. We came to a skidding halt a few feet from Iwa's gates. The guards were in shock. Most likely for the large number of Jinchuriki before him, the fact that he was seeing three Tails at once, and that I was back...

"Roshi..." One male guard said in surprised.

The other guard, a female, straightened herself to her fullest height. "Roshi, what are these..." She looked at us in disgust. "Children and Beasts doing with you? They are not of our Land."

"Beasts..." Fu growled. "Why I oughta-!"

Gaara grabbed Fu by both arms and had his sand wrap itself around her legs to hold her back.

"She's a bit touchy about people insulting Cho." Gaara explained still holding Fu back, Shukaku grabbed her by the hem of her knee length skirt.

"Cho?" the male asked.

"Hello..." Cho said quietly, as usual she averted her blue eyes from them.

"She's just shy!" Shukaku around the peachy-red fabric in his mouth.

"You might want to take it back." Valin said. "I won't do anything but you haven't seen what she can do when she's angry."

I thought back to when I left Konoha with the other Jinchuriki. Fu, when we were far enough away from Konoha, unleashed some of her power on some rocks and trees. Not a pretty sight.

"Okay. Fine I take it back. But what else do you want me to call them?" The Iwa Kunoichi asked. She looked and sounded a bit scared now.

"Tails." I said. "That's what they call themselves."

"Right... So what are you and these children and _Tails_ doing here?"

"We're here to see Han." I said.

"Han...?" the male Shinobi asked. "He lives at the West edge of the Village. Kinda secluded guy."

"Well it's no wonder!" Fu said annoyed. "Considering how all of us Human Sacrifices are treated." She glared at them. "Ironic isn't it? The Sage of the Six Paths was a Jinchuriki and treated well and with respect but anymore we are hated and despised."

I placed a hand on Fu's shoulder, she was shaking with rage but it was stopping slowly. Cho butted her lightly with her head to calm her down. Fu looked down at Cho and smiled weakly as she stroaked Cho's horn.

I glanced back at the guards, the expressions on their faces were mixed with awe and shock. They let us pass without another word, Shukaku, Valin and Cho returned to Travel Size. Valin clung to my back, Cho rode on Fu's shoulder and Shukaku on Gaara's head.

People in the Village glared at us as we passed, I saw a few Shinobi take off, most likely to tell the Tsuchikage we were here.

"Fu! Gaara!" Three teenagers raced up to us.

"Hey guys!" Fu said brightly.

"What are you guys doing here?" The female member of their Squad asked.

"Just here to see Han." Fu said off handedly.

One of the males shrugged. "We've seen him around but he never looks at anyone."

"It's no wonder why!" the other male exclaimed. "With the way people have treated him..." the boy shook his head.

"Fu, Gaara you know these kids?"

"Yeah we know them. When I took the Chunin Exams. We didn't become friends until after the Second Exam." Gaara explained.

"I'm Natsumi." The girl said. "He's Sagure..." She pointed to the taller member of her team. "And that's Mamoru." She pointed to the boy who had his hitai-ate around his neck like a scarf.

I nodded to them. "It's good to meet you. You wouldn't happen to know where Han lives would you?"

"Yeah... Ummm..." Sagure said closing his eyes for a moment. "Fifty-five Avalanche Road... I think... Or somewhere in that area..."

"Thanks." I said.

"We gotta get going. If we're late our Sensei will have our head! See ya later!" Natsumi said. She and her Squadmates took off.

I knew where Avalanche Road was. Not too many people every lived on that road for self exclamatory reasons. It was a place where a few powerful Shinobi lived, mostly so no one could bother them. The homes here looked average, nothing special but not worn down.

_Fifty-five Avavalanche Road. I hope this goes over well..._


	11. The Decision: The Wolves and The Snake!

Akiha's POV

I stared at the two options before me. Death was the kunai and life was the hitai-ate was life. How true it is.

_The hitai-ate was the symbol of a Village._

_A way of life chosen from an early age._

_No going back, a fight to survive, to prove who is strongest and protect what you love._

_This is true for so many._

_The kunai was the tool to kill._

_Taught to kill from an early age, many lose their sanity._

_A way to strike down a foe but yet a way to protect those you love._

_He who live by the kunai shall die by the kunai._

_This is true for so many._

_Both a way to show love._

_One shows loyalty_

_The other shows no mercy._

_I have a choice between the two, everyone does._

_All must chose one but which one is up to each individual heart._

I kept repeating these words in my mind. An idea popped into my mind. I grinned.

"How strong is Oto anyway? I mean if Tayuya was one of the best I'd hate to see how the others are..." I smirked at Orochimaru. "Prove to me how strong Oto is... After all... The true strength of a Village is the leader..." _It's official. I'm insane._

Orochimaru looked at me mildly surprised. "Very well..." He said at last.

I don't know how but we fought all the way from his office to outside. Neither of us had managed to land a blow in this amount of time. He had mainly used his tongue; trying to wrap it around me and whip me with it to send me flying, although he did swing a few at me. A few times a sword blade came out of his mouth (creepy) and nearly sliced me. I think it's call the Kusanagi...

I almost always know where he's going to strike and when. I'm at least two steps a head of him at all times. I don't know how. My eyes were stinging slightly through out the entire time. I hadn't even thrown a single punch or Jutsu at him yet. All I did was easily and gracefully dodge him.

People were watching the fight from a safe distance away. They were interested in how this was going to turn out and some were unsure if they should be jumping in to aid or not.

_Time to do something besides dodge and run away..._

I made my sign, I have no idea why this was all I had to do to perform some of the most complex Jutsu. _Water, Earth, Fire, Lightning and Wind Styles: Elemental Pack Attack!_

I raced through the trees with the Elemental Wolf Pack surrounding me. The Lightning and Fire Wolves left the branches slightly burnt where they stepped. We finally burst into a large clearing. The Pack and I spun around to face Orochimaru.

"Well, this is a unique Jutsu..." he said.

I bared my teeth and growled slightly. I felt like one of the wolves and amongst them... I was Alfa. They obeyed my command. I felt their ferocity, bravery and love race through my veins. I glared at Orochimaru, if looks could kill he'd be dead. My Pack and I circled him slowly in a wide circle. They snarled and snapped at him. The Water Wolf made a fierce sound when it barked, like the waves from a stormy sea crashing against the rocky shore. The Fire Wolf singed the grass where ever it stepped. Sparks flew from the Lightning Wolf when ever it snapped its jaws. The earth shook as the Earth Wolf growled. The wind picked up as the Wind Wolf howled its hunting call. I felt their power increase with each passing second.

"Sick 'em!" I hissed.

The Pack charged at Orochimaru. The crowd that stood and sat on the branches of the trees gasped. The Kusanagi came out of Orochimaru's mouth.

_Just what I thought he'd do. _I smirked slightly.

I ordered the Lightning Wolf to attack first; Orochimaru dodged it, knowing he'd be shocked if he touched it. There was a massive explosion as the Lightning Wolf collided with a rock, smoke and rubble filled the air. _Perfect!_

In the cover of the smoke the Fire Wolf hit the Kusanagi, heating it up to high temperatures. My smirk grew wider.

The Water and Wind Wolf hit the Kusanagi at the same time, still under the cover of the smoke and flying rock particles. The sword was instantly cooled down and the collision of the sword and Wolves sent water flying in all directions and the wind blew away what little smoke was left.

Orochimaru looked smug. Then he saw my expression, his changed instantly to basically 'Huh?'. I smirked and punched the ground. The Earth crunched, crumbled and broke into several large chucks. Orochimaru jumped into the air to avoid being crushed or sucked into the Earth. I leaped into the air as well, I threw a punch at him in mid-air he dodged and attempted to slice me with the Kusanagi. Just like I knew he would. _Baka!_

As he dodged he whacked the sword onto a chunk of flying rock. The Kusanagi shattered. Orochimaru's eyes widened. He and I both landed on the unstable and torn up ground. Shortly after I landed the Earth Wolf landed beside me, The chunk of Earth he had hit had actually been my Earth Wolf. "Didn't think I would be doing this well against a legendary Sanin." I said. "Maybe I'm just that good, then again you could be losing your touch..." I smirked him. "Or then again it could be just luck or..." I glared at him. "You're holding back."

I knew he wasn't. Without his arms he was nowhere near as good as he should be but I wasn't going to completely embarrass him in front of his subordinates. There would be time for that later.

* * *

A few hours later

"Ow..." I said dully as Karin put some medicine on a black eye.

"Hey you fought great!" Karin said. "I really thought you had him for a while!"

I blushed slightly. "If I was so good how come I lost?"

"Umm... Maybe because he's a _Sanin_?" Ukon said rolling his eyes. "I can't believe he didn't kill you!"

Kabuto flinched slightly at Ukon's comment, no one but me noticed.

"Hey at least your dress didn't get ruined." Karin said shrugging. "Speaking of which how did you manage that one?"

"I just dodged, and kept myself from falling by trying to keep my balance. And as for the blood... Dodge." I shrugged.

"I've never seen anyone dodge that well." Ukon said. "You dodge even better than Lady Nozomi!"

Kabuto seemed saddened as he left the room.

"What's up with him?" I asked. "Anytime anyone mentions Lady Nozomi he gets so... Depressed..."

Ukon and Karin glanced at each other.

"It's not really my place to say." Ukon said.

"Oh for the love of God!" Karin said rolling her eyes. "Kabuto and Lady Nozomi, when they first met, like each other the moment they saw each other. But then something happened, I don't know what, that caused Lady Nozomi to despise Kabuto. Apparently he never stopped liking her but they both avoided each other the best they could, kinda hard since they were both Medics in training back at Konoha. Years later before Lady Nozomi joined Oto she tried, and nearly did, kill him. Yet he still saved her from Sasuke, she went mute none the less. He stuck by her in her darkest days and they soon developed a friendship that was on the verge of romance. Neither admitted they liked the other, Lady Nozomi died. The end!"

Karin plopped herself down in a chair. "And that's their sucky romance story. Bakas never said a word and now it's too late." Karin shook her head sadly and adjusted her glasses.

A knock on the door made us all jump a bit. Nami poked her head around the door. "Akiha, Oroch wants a word with you..."

* * *

I followed Nami down the dimly lit halls of Oto. "What does he want?"

"Like I know what goes on in that guys mind!" Nami sighed. "To tell you the truth I didn't think you'd last ten minutes with the guy. I mean Tayuya's good and all but Oroch is on a whole nother level! I actually thought you were going to win!" Nami glanced back at me.

"What is it?" I knew she wanted to ask me something.

"Oroch _does _actually have a bit of respect for you..."

"What makes you think he has an ounce of respect for me?" I asked.

"He didn't kill you. And..." I saw her bite her lip. "He wants you to become an Oto Kunoichi..."

"Really...? Does he now...?" I already knew this but I might as well play along.

"Yes... And... I know this may sound selfish but..." Nami bit her lip harder.

"Go on." I said gently.

"Well... You see there's this place Yukimaru and I must go. But there's no way Oroch would let us go alone... I was wondering..."

"Yes?" I raised an eyebrow.

"That if you would consider being mine and Yukimaru's escort... But in order for you to do that... You'll have to join Oto..." Nami ducked her head in shame.

"Actually that's what the whole fight was about. I wanted to see the power of one of the legendary Sanin and if I thought he was strong enough then I'd join. He beat me. I'm joining. That's that."

"Oh!" Nami said in surprise. "Listen I normally don't like people so quickly but with you I... I feel like I've met you before..."

I stopped and bent down to be at her eye level. "You know I feel that way too, hun."

* * *

When I got to the exit of Oto the next day Yukimaru and Nami were saying good-bye to Guren. She looked surprised by the suddenness of this mission and me joining so quickly. She glanced at Nami and Yukimaru then walked up to me.

"I don't know what's going on and those two won't say a word about this." Guren glanced back at the two children. "But if anything happens to them..." I remained calm under her glare.

"I understand how much-"

"You can't understand." Guren said. "I promised myself I'd always be the one for Yukimaru to return to. And I promised Lady Nozomi that if anything were ever to happen to her that I'd look after her Genin like I look after Yukimaru and vise versa." Her expression was pained by the memory.

I placed a hand on her shoulder. "Guren, I promise I'll protect both of them with my life. They'll be fine. You _can_ trust me." I smiled at her before I walked passed her.

"You got in too deep too quickly." I heard her say.

I turned back to her and blinked slowly. "There are times when we must make sacrifices we do not wish to make."

Nami's POV

MY eyes widened. _I know that saying... _

My mind flashed back to the Shogi table in the Lounge.

I shook my head to clear it. _It's impossible. I saw her die before my own eyes. I was at her funeral. It couldn't be..._


	12. Perhaps

Roshi's POV

Han was sitting in his front yard, he didn't glance up from what he was writing. God the boy had grown up, he was sitting down but I could tell he was easily a head taller than Killer Bee. He wore red, metal armor, which is rather unusual. I could barely see the boy's face since his armor when up to his nose. A red, metal kasa lay on the ground next to him. He looked like he turned out to be a serious man. Funny... He used to be such a playful boy... Almost like Fu if I recall correctly.

"He certainly looks like he'd be a Jinchuriki..." Fu said sadly. "Lonely attitude..."

"What do you humans want?" Han asked. His voice was deep, his pale eyes looked and sounded sad and lonely but there was much scorn.

"Hello, Han." I said.

"Who are you and what do you want?" He snapped, he never looked at us once.

"Wow..." Fu said. "To think we were close to winding up like him... Huh, Gaara?"

"Gaara... Isn't that the name of the One Tailed's Jinchuriki?" He still sounded bitter but there was slight interest in it.

"Yep! He's my Jinchuriki!" Shukaku said brightly.

Han looked up in surprise. When he saw all six of us he fell over backwards, knocking over the small table sending ink flying in all directions. "What the-? How the-?"

Shukaku laughed from his position on Gaara's head. Valin nearly fell off my back from laughing so hard. Gaara rolled his eyes, Fu and Cho giggled. I was barely holding back a laugh myself.

"Are you alright?" Cho asked through her soft giggles.

"It's been a long time boy." I said helping the young man up.

"Roshi?"

I nodded.

"It has been a long time. What has it been... Twenty years?" He asked as his glare deepened.

"Twenty one." I said, slightly mumbled.

"Yes..." Han said. "You left me here alone."

"I offered you a choice to come with me." I said, getting annoyed with him but it _was_ my fault. I should have come back for him in a few years. H was much too young then to make that kind of a decision.

"I suppose you did." Han said picking up his table and ink stained paper. He looked at it and sighed. "What do you want anyway?"

"Have you been feeling a pull?" Fu asked.

He looked at slightly. "What kind of a pull?"

"Out of Iwa. Toward the Land of Bears." Fu said raising a green eyebrow.

"What if I have?"

"Have you tried following it? Letting it guide you?"

"Why should I? I just people to leave me alone! And that includes you!" He snapped.

"It will never go away. It won't leave any of us alone until you come too." Shukaku said. "An all for one and one for all deal."

"Then deal with it!"

"What is your problem?" Fu exclaimed getting furious.

The Tails, Gaara and I exchanged looks that plainly said 'Uh Oh!'

"We're monsters! Beasts! That's all we are! And all we ever will be!""

Fu stared at him and sighed. "I wish you could have met her. Then you'd understand."

"Met who?" His interest was sparked again and his anger was fading.

"Lady Nozomi." Gaara said. "She and her cousin Naruto are both Jinchuriki, or she was until she died. The Eleven and Nine Tailed Jinchuriki."

"I heard of the Eleven and Nine Tailed from some of the Chunin Exam failures." Han said gruffly.

"Both of them made many loyal friends at the Chunin Exams. Including Gaara and I. I never would have been able to Summon Cho if it weren't for them. I was so close to becoming lost. Gaara was already there. Both of them saved us. They showed us we could have friends. That just because we were different that didn't mean we were bad. I was so close to abandoning my path as a Medic because I was slowly loathing humanity. But..." Fu looked at Cho, who was sitting on her shoulder. "By then the entire Village knew what she was. True some people began to dislike her and treat her like any other Jinchuriki. Okay fine. But she mostly made people see that if they loved her before they knew what she was... Then perhaps there really was no difference between us and them..."

"People there are accepting Jinchuriki." Gaara said. "Because of Lady Nozomi and Naruto. Naruto's dream is to follow in his father's footsteps and become Hokage. He wants to prove just because he's a Jinchuriki doesn't mean he doesn't care about the people of the Fire Country... And he inspired me. Now I'm in training to be the next Kazekage. I used to hate and despise my people. Now all I want is to protect them. I want to prove what Naruto's trying to prove."

"I never met Lady Nozomi." I confessed. "But I met her cousin, Naruto and her other cousin Shikamaya. Naruto is proving what Gaara and Fu have told you. Her cousin Shikamaya told me what Lady Nozomi told her Genin while she was dying. She gave her own Genin her Will."

"I heard about Konoha's 'Will of Fire.' Sounds like a bunch of crap to me. And the Eleven Tailed ran off with Orochimaru. So much for her 'Will of Fire' if she betrayed her Village." Han said dismissively.

"It wasn't The Will of Fire." We all turned around in surprise. It was the three Genin from before Natsumi, Sagure, and Mamrou. Did they follow us or something. It was Natsumi who spoke. "She gave them her Will of Hope."

"Hope?" Han blinked.

"She gave it to us as well." Sagure said. "We also go the privilege of fighting her Squad and two others, the three Squads formed an alliance in the Forest of Death. The three Squads were all from different Villages. Sound, Grass and Leaf."

"I saw how the three Squads worked together." Natsumi continued. "To me the Will of Hope means working together. No matter who you are and where you're from... People are people and we can get along. To me that is the Will of Hope." Natsumi shook her head to flip her red hair out of her face. "I'm gonna be Tsuchikage someday. And the next Jinchuriki of Iwagakure won't be treated like you have been, Han. I'll see to it. Look at the Tails before you." Natsumi looked at Valin, Cho and Shukaku. "They are nothing like beasts. Cho is shy and quiet. Shukaku is just an annoying fur ball who is a bit claustrophobic. I don't know Valin to well but he just seems like he's kinda out there."

Valin shrugged. "I am what I am." _When did he get off my back?_

I rolled my eyes at the crazy baboon.

"They aren't what people say they are. And neither are you." Mamoru said. "You're just a person and your Tail is just another living thing with his own unique personality. Sumi, The Eleven Tailed, was calm, caring and understanding. Kitsune... A little on the destructive side but he could have destroyed the Hidden Leaf at the Invasion but he helped the Village instead of destroying it. He's sarcastic and annoying but he is who he is. And he's even shown he cares."

"Aoko, the Two Tailed, is just a kid!" Fu threw in. "She's like eight years old in all reality. She's adorable, loves playing jokes and she has an obsession with chasing birds and squirrels. Hachirou, the Eight Tailed is like..." Fu thought for a moment. "Fourteen years old and well... I can't describe him too well because he's just plain hard to describe... But he's not a monster like people say he is."

"Their point is we are just like everyone else. No different. We just have a few extra tails and a few powers." Valin said bouncing on his knuckles. Crazy. Ba. Boon. "Oh. And we can talk."

Han was plainly shocked, unsure of what he was seeing and hearing. "I-"

"What's going on here?"

_Who could it be now?_

We all turned. My brother, Onoki, The Sandiame Tsuchikage. As well as a few guards.

"I think he heard everything we've been saying." Cho said quietly.

He ignored what Cho said, his gaze swept around the group. "Having so many Jinchuriki in one place is making people uneasy. Leave Iwagkure." Onoki said.

"Well you haven't changed in Twenty one years." I said folding my arms.

Onoki glanced at me. "Well it has been a long time. But what are these children doing here? They aren't from Iwa."

"What was your first clue?" Fu muttered to Gaara, Sagure, Natsumi, Mamoru and the Tails. The all snickered.

"There has been a meeting called for the Jinchuriki. We are just getting Han." I said.

"Well then get going." Onoki said. _Yep. That's brother dearest. _"You're presence is disturbing the peace."

Han glared at Onoki. "I'll be ready in five minutes." He collected his small table and ruined papers and disappeared inside.

Onoki looked at me. "A meeting huh? Who's called it?"

"Another Jinchuriki." Shukaku said before I could answer. "Don't know which but it's gotta be important. There hasn't been one in like a hundred years or something. I can't remember."

"It was about splitting up our family." Cho said. "I mean we were already traveling the world disguised as ordinary animals, either that or some were Sealed in humans. But the meeting was about splitting us up amongst the Villages."

"Family...?" one of his guards asked.

"Yeah..." Shukaku said. "The Tails aren't from one being. We're-"

"Siblings. I've heard the story." Onoki interrupted Shukaku.

"It kinda stinks that we're never all together like a family should be." Shukaku rambled on. "But that's just the way things go."

"Alright, let's get out of here." Han came out of the house with a backpack slung on his shoulder.

Onoki's POV

I watched the Jinchuriki and Tails leave Iwagakure. The Genin saw them off. Those three are something else. And Natsumi's goal to be my successor... Well, we'll see but I'm gonna be Tsuchikage until I die, so that girl will just have to wait. I couldn't shake what Shukaku said about family. I watched my younger brother and the other's leave. Perhaps I was too harsh and perhaps they were right. I mean, Han was my grandson and Roshi was my brother... I should have looked after them better but it was too late now.

I remember Nozomi. The Slug Princess and the Toad Sage's granddaughter. She would interrupt me all the time. Hiruzen said she did it to him as well. She was disrespectful but did have a good mind in that blond head of hers. And as for Naruto, well he has a long way to go from what I remember. Never saw too much of Shikamaya. True the three of them rarely went anywhere without each other but she never said much besides 'What a drag.'

The Jinchuriki mounted their Tails and sped off into the distance. This was the first time I actually saw the Five Tailed. I wasn't there at his Sealing, I should have been but I wasn't.

Perhaps one day Natsumi will be my successor. And perhaps she can fix my mistake of not making sure the Jinchuriki get the respect they deserve. Perhaps one day my brother and I can sit down as brothers again. Perhaps I've had these thoughts far too often. Perhaps. Perhaps...


	13. On The Road Again

Han's POV

"So who's next?" The green haired girl asked. I don't remember her name.

"I have no idea." Roshi said.

"Naruto has been traveling around with his grandfather training." Gaara said.

"Yeah but where are they?" I asked rolling my eyes.

"Snippy isn't he?" the girl muttered to the Seven Tailed. "We can find out easily." she said loud enough for us to hear.

"Oh and how is that?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Telepathy." The Four Tailed said. "All Jinchuriki and Tails are connected by a strong force. If their souls become close enough then they may share thoughts whenever they please."

"In Japanese?" I asked annoyed.

"If they become good enough friends then they can communicate by telepathy." The One Tailed said. "My siblings and I, even if our Jinchuriki don't know each other, can always communicate."

"Naruto's in a small town in The Land of Waterfalls." Gaara said.

"Didn't we just come from my Land?" the girl whispered to Roshi.

"Are we just Globe trotting or something?" I asked.

"We gather the Jinchuriki and Tails. Travel to The Mountain of Still Time. Then see why we were called together in the first place." The green haired girl said.

"So if we all feel the pull then why don't we just go there and let the others just go there by themselves?"

"You ask a lot of questions, inquiries..." the green haired girl said. "And to answer it they could be like you." she glared at me slightly.

"Not to mention when it comes to signs and pulls Kitsune's kinda clueless." The One Tailed said.

"Shukaku..." The Seven Tailed said warningly. Whoa... Who is that? I thought the Seven Tailed was all shy and quiet. "Shukaku you know better than to disrespect your siblings."

Shukaku looked a bit scared. "Sorry, Cho..." He muttered. "But it's true. He can't take a hint sometimes! I mean come on! He couldn't take the hint that Ariana wanted to be more than friends back home. _And _he didn't even recognize the angel in the clouds sign!"

"I saw a shape cut out of the clouds that looked like an angel..." I thought back to about a week and a half ago. "Then when I looked back the wings were gone."

"That was the sign." Shukaku said. "Lady Nozomi was referred to as 'The Angel of Hope,' 'The Angel of the Forest' and even 'Lady Angel.' The angel in the clouds symbolized her dead, an actual angel. But when the wings disappeared it said she was alive again."

"When did you see this?" Gaara asked.

"It was while you were training with your brother. You know when I was looking at the sky?"

"Yeah?"

"That's what I was looking at. It was rather unusual to see so many clouds in one day..." Shukaku said. "But it did rain later that night."

The One Tailed just rambled on and soon the others joined in. With all the different personalities I was seeing with the Tails it made me wonder what what the Five Tailed was like. Cho was shy, quiet but apparently still scolded her siblings. Valin was just an insane monkey. Shukaku never shut up.

I can't help but wonder what the other Tails and Jinchuriki are like.

Fu's POV

"Okay walking takes too long!" I said annoyed. "Let's move it!" Cho flew faster and the other Tails struggled to keep up.

I laughed as the wind whipped through my chin length green hair. I glanced at Han, he slowly spread his arms out to feel the wind. I smiled.

"YAHOO!" I yelled above the wind.

Gaara rolled his eyes and inhaled the cold winter air.

I gave a Han a challenging look he returned it. I smirked, "Book it Cho!" I said.

Cho went faster, Han and Tasunke were almost able to keep up with me.

"Stop!" Roshi yelled.

Tasunke and Shukaku skidded to a halt, Cho on the other hand was able to stop on a dime. The town was on our right just a few miles into the distance.

"I'm hungry." Shukaku said.

The rest of us stared at him giving him a 'You got to be kidding me' expression when our own stomachs growled. _At least we're near a town._

"We better put our Tails away." Han said. "Don't want to draw any unwanted attention to ourselves."

Sadly I agreed with him as did Roshi and Gaara. Shuaku groaned just before we put the Tails in the Holding Chambers. We reached the town in an hour by foot.

"Let's just get this Naruto kid and get out of here." Han said.

"First things first. We eat." I said.

"If we pick up Naruto before we eat well..." Roshi chuckled. "We won't get to eat."

"Huh?"

"Naruto is a bottomless pit." Gaara explained.

"Gotta agree with ya there." I said.

"Alright fine!" Han said annoyed.

It was a rather small town, nothing exciting.

"BBQ anyone?" Han asked.

We all shrugged. It was the only place in town to eat at. Like I said, small town.

We all decided to be smart and remove our hitai-ates before we entered town. Think about it. Shinobi of so many different ages and Villages together like that? Yyyeeeeaaaaahhh... That would just be weird.

We had just sat down when...

"Fu? Gaara? Roshi?" _Yugito? Oh this will be interesting._


	14. The Second Reason for the Pull!

Fu's POV

Roshi, Gaara, Han and I turned to the doorway of our eating area. Yugito and Killer Bee stood there, they were just as surprised to us as we were to see them.

"Hey guys! What are doing here?" I asked.

"I was about to ask you the same." Yugito said before Killer Bee could rap. Thank God.

Roshi motioned for the two of them to sit down. Han looked at them uneasily as they sat down.

"They're both Jinchuriki like us." I said. "The woman is Yugito Nii, Jinchuriki to the Two Tailed Cat Aoko. She's really nice so don't worry about her. The man is Killer Bee Yotsuki, Jinchuriki to the Eight Tailed Ox Hachirou. He's pretty cool although his constant rapping can get annoying." I whispered to Han.

He nodded as he studied Yugito and Killer Bee carefully. Yugito, Gaara, Roshi and Killer Bee were catching up. We hadn't called a meeting in the Dream Realm since Nozomi died. Finally the meat came but sadly it still had to cook yet. The smell was driving me insane!

"So what's you name?" Yugito asked.

"My name is Han." He said quickly.

"Yo-"

"Don't even start!" Yugito glared at Killer Bee. Killer Bee looked slightly put out but shrugged it off as he reached for a piece of beef off the grill/table before us.

The door to our compartment opened. "Kushina?" I blinked in surprise.

Shizune's POV

I sat on the swing in front of the Academy. Moegi walked up to, she looked nearly ready to burst with giggles.

"Iruka Sensei said he'll be out in ten minutes." She giggled before she ran off to join her friends.

Even though it was bitter cold I felt my face grow warm. I smiled. _Iruka..._

I looked up and watched the Academy children leave some with friends, others with parents. My parents died when I was young. I barely remember them. And when they died my uncle Dan took me in. And by the time he died in battle I was pretty much old enough to take care of myself but never the less Lady Tsunade opened up her home to me. Despite how chaotic Senju Mansion was I never regretted my decision to stay even now that I could be living on my own.

One house, so many different personalities. Minako always kept someone on their toes. You never knew if she was in a philosophical mood or a playful prankster mood. Minato was a serious child but friendly and kind. Konan was somewhat similar to Minato but was more philosophical like Minako. Yahiko was pretty much an orange haired Naruto only more serious. Nagato was a sensitive, but kind boy, prone to crying, but as time went on Nagato grew up and refrained from crying.

It was sad that only Konan remained out of the five of them. There was the possibility that Nagato was alive but we don't know where he is. It's not like Lady Tsunade and Master Jiraiya never tried to find their only remaining son but it was like the boy vanished into thin air. There were times when I would catch Lady Tsunade gazing wistfully at their pictures that sat on the mantle in the living room. Konan's wasn't up there because she was most likely the only one alive that we knew of.

"Shizune!" _Sakura?_

I got up. "Yes?"

"Lady Tsunade wants to see you."

"Oh... But..." I glanced at the Academy.

"You go." Sakura said. "I'll explain to Iruka Sensei." She winked at me.

I blushed. "Thank you Sakura!" I sped off.

I knocked before I entered. "Come in!" I heard her answer.

"You wanted to see my Lady Tsunade?"

"Yes." _I'm dead. _"Where is Kushina?" She's been gone for two days and..." _Oh God her death glare! Kushina you owe me big time! _"Where is she?"

"Ummm... You see... Uh..." i can't lie to Lady Tsunade well. Never could. And I can't surive Nozomi's death glare which was almost at the same level as Lady Tsunade's. "She's gone."

"I know that Shizune. But where and why?"

"I don't know where she is but I kinda know where she is going..." _Sorry Kushina!_

"And that is where?"

"A mountain sacred to Jinchuriki... All of them feel the pull..." I was barely touching the surface of what was really going on.

"Why?"

"I... Kushina is going to complete the Transfer..."

Kushina's POV

"Okay, so how are we going to get my son away from Master Jiraiya without him knowing?" I asked the other Jinchuriki.

"I have an idea..." Yugito said as she and I exchanged sly grins.


	15. The Look and Market Chaos!

Shizune's POV

"She... WHAT?" Lady Tsunade punched the desk so hard it split in two, papers that had once littered her desk were now flying around the room.

"Y-yes..." I gulped trying to gather myself. "She is going to the mountain to complete the Transfer."

"I... I thought... She told me..." Lady Tsunade was so furious she couldn't speak straight. "Get me my daughter... NOW!"

"Yes!" I sprinted off to find Konan. _Those two are going to kill me for this._

Yugito's POV

"Well if it isn't one of my old partners in crime..." I grinned.

"I've been out of that type of action for a while now." Kushina said grinning. "I've mainly been trying to keep Naruto from that... Divine art..." We both laughed.

"What on Earth are you two women babbling about?" Han asked. _Okay he's getting on my nerves!_

"Did you by any chance hear of the incident at the Chunin Exams when the Hokage got his butt glued to a chair?" Kushina asked, a red eye brow raised.

"No way..." Fu said in shock and awe. "That was you two?"

"Well, actually there were four of us." I said. "Tsukiko Senchiha of Hoshigakure, Nozomi's mother Minako of Konohagakue..."

"And yours trully." Kushina indicated to herself and I with a smile.

"Nozomi never told me you were a part of that little gang, Kushina." Fu said clearly intrigued.

"We never told her Kushina was a part of the pranks." I said suddenly feeling like crap. I realized how much I kept from her and now... Now it's too late... No... No it's not too late because Nozomi is alive. I can feel it. I'll find her no matter how long it takes. But first we have to get Naruto away from Jiraiya... And I have a plan...

Kushina and I exchanged diabolical grins. Advantage of being Jinchuriki... We can share thoughts and boy did that come in handy back then and apparently now as well. "Here's the plan..." Everyone leaned in closely. Grins spread across their faces as they heard more and more.

Konan's POV

I saw Shizune skid around the corner. By the look on her face Mom had made her spill. _I am beyond dead._

I followed Shizune to the HokageMansion. The second I stepped into my mother's office I received a look I hadn't been given since childhood. It always made me feel two inches small, terrified and submissive. I only received it when I really had done something wrong, which, unlike Minako, wasn't often. Which made it ten times worse for me. But I wasn't about to show my mother the fear she was causing me to experience. Though I was terrified.

"Konan..." My mother said slowly, her eyes were like fire. "Where is Kushina?" _Oh shit! _

"She's not in Konoha?" I can act my way out of anything but my mother could see through the charade. She always could.

"No she is _not._" She continued giving me 'the look'. "Konan you, your sister and brother told me that Minato using his life would complete the transfer of Kitsune to Naruto. Kushina would have traces of her old powers but would no longer be the Jinchuriki to Kitsune... Instead it would be Naruto and Kushina's life would be spared... What have you been keeping from me young lady?"

_Dead... So very... Very dead... _"Well... My siblings and I were... We were wrong..."

"How wrong were you?" 'The Look' was soon replaced with curiosity and fear of her own.

"Very." I no longer felt scared. "Minato was only able to buy Kushina an extra year."

Fu's POV

Chaos was reining in the market. Aoko was disguised as an ordinary house cat that had gotten loose. Yugito and Kushina used Transformation Jutsus to seem like seven year old girls chasing after their cat.

"Aoko come back here!" Yugito continued to chase after her.

"Come back here kitty!" Kushina called.

Aoko jumped off of a stack of pottery. The pots would have shattered if it weren't for Roshi, posing as Yugito's and Kushina's grandfather, caught them in time.

_Shit he missed one_! Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the pot fell to the ground. Master Jiraiya appeared out of no where and caught it_. _

Naruto was hurrying toward Master Jiraiya, but to do so he had to pass the alley we were hiding in.

_Now's our chance guys!_

Han and Killer Bee reached out and grabbed Naruto. And Gaara used his sand to grab Kitsune. No one would notice in the chaos that was going on. Naruto struggled in Killer Bee and Han's grasp. He was about to yell when I clapped my hand over his mouth.

"Shut it will you!" I hissed. He said something from behind my hand. "What?"

"I said who's the big guy?"

"My name is Han." Han said as he and Killer Bee dropped Naruto.

"Ouch!" Naruto said.

"Sorry." Killer Bee said helping him up.

"What the Hell are you guys doing here?" Kitsune asked as Gaara released him.

"Taking you two clueless idiots to Shizuka Na Jinkan No Yama with us." Shukaku said from Gaara's head. "Now let's move it before things clear up!"

Kitsune and Naruto looked confused but came any way. Once we were out of town we mounted our Tails and bolted to camp. _Operation: Get Annoying Bakas away from Old Guy, is a sucess. Kushina and Yugito are brilliant!_

Jiraiya's POV

So much trouble over one little kitten. I grabbed the kitten by the scruff of the neck in mid air as it jumped from a newspaper wrack. "Gotcha!"

"You caught her!" The little blond girl cried in delight as she took the kitten from me.

"Aoko you've been a naughty girl!" The redhead scolded.

An old man, who I assume is their grandfather, walked up to me. "Thanks. I told those girls to keep a tight hold on her but..." He shrugged.

"I have a grandson of my own who causes quite a bit of trouble back home." I held up my hand saying I understood.

"Your mother isn't going to be happy when she hears about this." The grandfather warned the girls as they left the market.

"Kids..." I rubbed the back of my head. "Speaking of which where did those two go?"


	16. The Temple of Time

Kushina's POV

Roshi, Yugito, Aoko and I raced back to camp. When we got there everyone was rolling with laughter even Han. Well Gaara was more of chuckling but hey that's him.

"Well I'm glad you enjoyed the performance." I said laughing.

"Mom? The redhead girl was you?" Naruto asked in surprise.

"We still got it Kushina." Yugito and I exchanged a hi-five.

"Who's the tin man?" Naruto asked.

"My name... Is Han." He shook his head.

"Okay then..." Naruto said glancing at Han. "So what is this Mountain of Still Time any way?"

"It's a place for many things." Kitsune said. "The initiations of newly made Jinchuriki, coming of age ceremonies, training, completing Transfers..."

"Transfers?" Yugito asked confused.

"You'll see..." I said gravely. I knew this day would come but I did not expect it to come so soon.

Akiha's POV

Yukimaru raced ahead looking at this and that eagerly. I smiled at him while Nami just rolled her eyes.

"It would be so much faster if we rode." She muttered.

"So why don't we?"

Nami opened her mouth to retort but then a look that said 'Why aren't we?' crossed her face. Then embarrassment crossed it. "Nozomi Sensei died before she could teach me how..."

"Oh... But why are you embarrassed by this?"

"A Jinchuriki who can't summon their Tails might as well not have them."

"But you can still use the Zero Tailed's powers can't you?" I asked.

"Yes but- HEY!"

"What?"

"How do you know about Miu?" Nami seemed scared. "The only one who knew about her was Nozomi Sensei and Kabuto..."

"I honestly don't know." I said.

Nami's POV

I knew Nozomi Sensei confided almost everything in Kabuto. They trusted each other. I saw her confide this in him because she was doubting she could train another Jinchuriki well. He comforted her and assured her she could do it. I wish she could have had the time...

Akiha wrapped her arm around my shoulders. "I heard it was just a Summoning Jutsu."

"It is and I've seen her Summon Sumi but I don't know the mark..."

"It's a crescent moon isn't it?" Yukimaru asked.

"Yeah but which way does it face?"

"Why don't you try it one way and I do it the other?" Yukimaru suggested.

"Couldn't hurt to try could it?" Akiha asked.

Yukimaru tried and failed. "I guess it's the other way. Your turn Nami!"

I bit my lip. What I just couldn't do it?

_Nami you'll be fine. Just try it.- _Miu

_Thanks Miu..._

Naruto's POV

We were in the Land of Bears in less than two hours when we traveled on out Tails. Sadly my headache got worse and worse as we got closer and closer to the where ever this mountain was.

"How much longer until we get there?" I yelled over the wind.

"No idea!" Several of the Tails answered.

The Tails all slowed down to a walking speed.

Kitsune looked around. "The Star Village isn't too far from here."

"And does that mean we should be careful?" Fu asked.

"No." my mom said. "If anything it means we should relax."

"Why?" Fu asked. "I heard they are really touchy about foreigners..."

"They used to be." I said. "But ever since I had a mission here-"

"We know the story." Gaara said.

"You've only told it a hundred times Naruto." Shukaku said. I stuck my tongue out at the annoying raccoon.

"But that doesn't mean we should relax." Fu said.

"Don't worry." Yugito said. "Kushina and I have an old friend here."

Fu still didn't look convinced.

"It's getting late and we've been traveling all day. Let's set up camp and get some rest." Roshi said.

"You know I kinda feel bad about running out on the old man." I said as we sat around a blue fire later that night.

"But it was funny." Hachirou said.

"Did you see the look on his face?" Tasunke said as he litterly rolled with laughter.

Every last one us, but Gaara he was chuckling, we laughing our butts off.

"I haven't laughed like this is years!" Han said from behind his metal mask.

When the laughter finally died something hit me. "Okay so we're here. Now what?"

"First off kid we're not there yet." Yugito said slightly annoyed. "Second we need to make sure the others are here before we go to The Mountain of Still Time." she grabbed a stick from the fire.

"We have the One Tailed." She made a scorch mark on a rock. "The Two Tailed." She made two more tally marks underneath the other. "Four and Five Tailed." She skipped a space and made their tally marks. "And the Seven through nine." she finished up her tallies.

"So we're missing the Three Tailed, Six Tailed and Nozomi and Sumi." Fu said.

"Don't forget Miu!" Shukaku piped up.

"Who?" I asked.

"Miu is our cousin, the Zero Tailed, Runt." Kitsune said. "She was raised along side us after her parents died in the war back home. She got sucked into this dimension along with us."

"What war?" Roshi asked.

"We don't exactly like to talk about." Hachirou said shaking his horned head.

"A lot of bad memories..." Aoko said sadly from the fire.

We were all silent for a while.

"So we have to make sure that four other Jinchuriki are here before we can go to this stupid mountain?" I asked.

"It's far from stupid, Runt." Kitsune said.

"Yeah whatever. So any way. How do we find them?"

"I already have." We all turned to where a female voice was coming from.

"Stealthy as always Tsukiko." My mom said.

A black haired woman appeared out of nowhere. She was dressed completely in black and had puple eyes. I kinda remember her but I didn't know my mom knew her.

"Who exactly is this woman any way?" Fu asked. "I mean we sorta met before but..."

"Everyone this is Tsukiko of Hoshigakure." My Mom said getting up and hugging her.

"She's the friend I was referring to." Yugito said.

"Hello." She bowed slightly to us. "I found the Six Tailed yesterday and the Three and Zero Tailed today. We'll come to you tomorrow an hour after dawn. Then we will proceed to Shizuka Na Jinkan No Yama. Good night." She said as she vanished into thin air. No puff of smoke or anything, just vanished.

"She's weird." Fu said.

"Most of her Clan is like that." my Mom said.

"I didn't know the Star Village had any Clans." Gaara said.

"They have a few. But Tsukiko's is the strongest but the odd thing is they participate the least." Yugito said.

"Well if they're going to be here at dawn we better get to bed before we y-"

"DON'T SAY IT!" Yugito cut Killer Bee off.

As promised they were here an hour after dawn. I wasn't even awake when they showed up, barely any of us were up.

A sharp whistle jerked me out of my dream. The sad thing is I can't remember what it was about now but I know it was important.

"Sheesh did ya have to wake me up like that?" I crawled out of my tent.

Nami's POV

There were a lot of Jinchuriki. All of us were here. "Can we get going?" I asked as soon as the camp was cleaned up.

"Impatient aren't you young one?" The Four Tailed Mokey said.

"I just want to go home as soon as possible. I have work to do back in Oto." I crossed my arms. Everyone was shocked at what I had said. "Yeah I'm from Oto and so is Yukimaru and Akiha." Everyone's eyes traveled to Akiha.

"Only Jinchuriki, Tails and Tsukiko's Clan can step foot on the mountain." A redheaded woman said.

"I'm only here as their escort." Akiha explained. "Orochimaru wasn't going to let these two go on their own since they are so young. But I must agree with her. The quicker we get home the less annoyed he will be."

"So you three are just Orochimaru's play things like all the other Oto Shinobi." Gaara said.

_THAT DOES IT! _"HOW DARE YOU!" I was under my Jinchuriki cloak faster than you can say 'Jutsu'.

Akiha's POV

I struck a pressure point on Nami's back, cancelling out any flow of Chakra. She glared at me.

"These people know_ nothing_about what any of us go through!" Nami spat.

"That's just it, hun. They don't know." I place my hand on her shoulders. "Let's just get you all there so we can go home."

"I agree with the puppet." Gaara said. I shook my head.

All of the Tails enlarged themselves to Mounting Size. We reached the mountain's base in a matter of minutes.

"I'll wait for you two here." I said to Yukimaru and Nami. "If you need me at all you rush to me and I will aid you. I gave Guren my word I would protect you and I'll do it even if it means my death."

"Yes." both children said.

"Good Luck!" I called as the Jinchuriki began to climb the mountain.

Naruto's POV

We never seemed to get any closer to the summit no matter how high we climbed. "Are we there yet?" I asked.

"Grow up, suck it up and shut up!" Nami yelled. "That's how you survive in Oto. So... CORK IT!"

"Sheesh touchy..." I muttered.

"I think it's fun!" Yukimaru said.

The others and I glanced at each other.

_These Oto Shinobi are so weird- _Fu

_Yep. Uhuh. You can say that again._

One second we were barely any further than we started the next we were at the summit.

"Wow..." "Whoa..." "Amazing..."

"My fellow Jinchuriki welcome to The Temple of Time."_ That voice it can't be..._

Two figures were walking toward us. It was hard to make out who they were because they were coming from the direciton of the Sun. But one was certainly an animal with multiple tails... As they approached I could see who they were. B_ut... How?_


	17. The Temple of Time: She's Alive

Naruto's POV

_That voice... It's the one from my dream... _The voice I was hearing in my dream belonged to this old woman. And by old I mean _old! _She looked ancient! She even looked kinda blind in her left eye. The old woman's purple kimono moved kinda like water. It had the pattern on the front of the kimono reminded me of a diagram they showed us in the Academy. The Circe of Balance, I think... Any way the diagram showed the strengths and weaknesses of Elemental Chakra. Like Water is strong to Fire but weak to Earth. Only here it was a pentagram and the smaller pentagram with in the larger one was a lime green color...

I tried to count the Tails on the animal. _Five, six, seven, eight, nine... Ten? Is that all? Kitsune, wasn't your brother sent back to your home world?_

_That's what Nobuyuki said... But what I'm seeing... I can't believe it...-_Kitsune

_Who's the old lady?_

_That, Runt, is Lady Satsuki. Middle child and only daughter of The Sage and Healer... I knew she was alive even after all this time but why is he here?- _Kitsune

"You look surprised to see me." The Ten Tailed Coyote said.

"What are you doing in this dimension, Kuro?" Hachirou asked with hostility.

"Hachirou..." Kitsune warned. "He may have nearly destroyed this world once, but that was three thousand years ago and he is our brother." Kitsune glared at Hachirou.

"Hmph!" Hachirou shook his horned head. "Did you just hear youself? Of course there's a reason to be hostile!"

"You are out of line, Hachirou!" Cho said with anger in her voice. _I didn't know she could get like this!_

_Cho is as sweet as honey but she has the wrath of a wasp.- _Kitsune

"No." Kuro spoke up. Everyone's attention returned to him. "I understand where Hachirou is coming from. I know some of you are still angry about what I did."

_This is Kuro? I expected him to be I don't know... More aggressive..._

_He used to be. But time does changes people.- _Kitsune

"What the _HELL_is going on around here?" Yugito asked.

"Welcome to my world." Nami muttered.

"I know I have a lot to explain." Tsukiko said as she went to stand by Lady Satsuki and Kuro. "But first there is someone else you all need to see."

"At my age I don't know how many more surprises I can take." Roshi said.

Lady Satsuki gave a rusty sounding laugh. "When you live to be an eighth of my age that's when you get too old for surprises."

Fu's POV

_Gaara... Didn't you say Nozomi was with the Three and Zero Tailed?_

_Yeah... But apparently Shukaku and I were wrong... There is no way that woman could have been Nozomi.- _Gaara

_So... Does that mean she could not be alive at all? And the Shock was just about Yukimaru?_

Gaara didn't answer.

_Nozomi... If you can hear me... Please... Tell me where you are... If you're even alive..._

No response. I felt a tear trickle down my cheek.

"Are you okay?" Yugito placed a hand on my shoulder as we followed Tsukiko, Kuro and Lady Satsuki.

"Yeah... I'm fine..." I lied.

"Fu..." Yugito knew I was lying.

"Nozomi... She dreamed of having us all together like this... And now that we are... She's..." I trailed off.

Yugito wrapped an arm around me. Right now I'm just glad Gaara, Shukaku, Cho and I didn't tell any of the others about Nozomi and Sumi.

Nami's POV

"This place is so pretty..." I said.

The architecture of the Temple was amazing. Ornate swirls and patterns were carved into the Temple's exterior walls. Large jewels were embedded in the path way, lush plant life covered where ever there wasn't path way. Yet it was all neatly taken care of and wasn't over flowing onto the path. It looked like Sunset but from what I an recall it was barely sunrise when be began our climb. Sunset was probably what time frame the Mountain was stuck in. The blue, purple, and orange sunset was set perfectly behind the main building of the Temple. The light made the gem stones seem like they were glowing. I was in complete awe.

Yukimaru laughed.

"What's so funny, twerp?" I snapped.

"I never thought you were the 'pretty' type." Yukimaru said.

The next thing I knew I was wrestling with Yukimaru, seriously trying to pound him.

"Hey break it up!" "Knock it off!"

Suddenly I was being held back by the Eight and Five Tailed Jinchuriki.

"LET ME GO! I'LL KICK HIS ASS!" I thrashed about in their grip.

"Nami!" _Uh oh! _Miu was glaring at me. She never did that before.

"Enough. None of you are not here to quarrel with our family." Kuro said. "We are to get along. Have faith, compassion and trust for each other and hope it will be returned."

_Hope... _I stopped struggling and nodded. The two men released me. "Why are we here any way?"

"I am about to show you one of the reasons now. If..." Lady Satsuki said slowly. "You can behave..."

I felt angry again. I felt my Cloak coming on but I did my best to surpress it. I felt more angry then I should have. But why?

We continued to where ever we were going. Eventually we came to what looked like a courtyard. Judging by the various weapons that were placed on racks around the perimeter this was a training ground. One person sat in the middle. She looked like she was meditating. One two fingers! What a show off.

She stood up slowly. Her long, blond hair shown like gold in the sunlight. The way she stood up was unearthly graceful, the way her dress moved was like it was submerged in water. The large symbol on the back of the skirt of her dress was so familiar... But where had I seen it before?

"There was a time when I thought it would be decades until I saw you all again. And for some... Meet for the first time." My heart stopped. _That voice... It can't be..._

_Nami... This is what I have been trying to tell you... It _is _her. She's alive...-_Miu

I raced toward her. "Mama!"

Yugito's POV

Nami raced towards the girl she called 'Mama'. But that had to be impossible. There was no way this teenage girl could be her mother. I watched Nami glomp the girl from behind. Nami was crying her eyes out into the girl's knee length hair. The girl turned slowly, Nami's grip on her loosened as she did so but never let go of the girl.

_It can't be... But it is... I was right... I was right! But she was... Too old... She was barely thirteen when she died... This girl was fifteen at the very least... This can't be Nozomi..._


	18. The Temple of Time: The Meeting Begins!

Yugito's POV

Nozomi's face was glistening with tears. Her smile was warm, tears were steadily flowing from her light brown eyes. She knelt down slowly to Nami's eye level, they stared into each other's eyes, holly green met caramel brown.

"Mama..." Nami exclaimed as she threw herself at Nozomi.

Nozomi started crying harder as she wrapped her arms around Nami. Nami kept repeating 'Mama, Mama..." as she cried into Nozomi's chest. Which had gone up more than three bra sizes, might I add. Nozomi picked Nami up and held her as close as she could, kissing Nami's head and running her one hand through her light blue hair.

It was a touching sight. I noticed some of the others tearing up by the scene. She placed Nami on the ground. Nami still clung to the skirt of Nozomi's dress. Her expression was still of joy.

Naruto couldn't control himself any longer, he just ran up and hugged her.

"Alright you baka you're crushing me!" Nozomi said despite the fact she was hugging her cousin back.

"He he sorry." Naruto said pulling away and rubbing the back of his head.

"You're not forgetting about me are you?" Fu said in a fake pout.

"Okay come here!" Nozomi and Fu embraced.

"It's great to know I have my poetry buddy back!" Kirabi said, I guess he was too happy to come up with a rap.

"Good to be back." She and Kirabi bumped fists.

Kushina hugged her niece from behind. Nozomi hugged Gaara against his wish but he was happy she was back never the less. Roshi was thrilled he was getting to meet Nozomi. Han was polite and introduced himself. Utakata did the same. Yukimaru was rambling on about all the fun they would have again now that she was back. They were all so blind. But I had a question for her.

"Why...?" I could barely speak.

Nozomi's expression changed from joy to serious sorrow immediately. "What do you mean Yugito?" She asked.

"You know what I mean." I hissed. "Why did you make us think you were dead!"

"I was dead." Nozomi said seriously.

"What?" "How?" "But we were at your funeral..."

"I saw you die..." Naruto said. "But now you're here..." He fought back tears. "How is this possible?"

"Ask your mother Naruto. It seems almost all mothers keep things from their children." The bitterness in Nozomi's voice made her unrecognizable. "But with my daughters I won't make that mistake." She put her arm around Nami.

Kushina and Tsukiko immediately looked guilty. _What are those two hiding?_

"You all must have many questions." Lady Satsuki spoke up. "Tsukiko, Nozomi and I shall do our best to answer them. But remember we do not know everything."

"Excuse me Satsuki..." The Six Tailed Slug spoke up. "But where is Sumi?"

"She is waiting in the Meeting Hall. Now do-?" She didn't get a chance to finish. All of the Tails bolted off into the Temple.

"Wow..." Utakata said. "They're eager."

"Well some of them haven't seen our sister in about a century." Kuro said. He hadn't taken off like the rest of the Tails. He sat obediently at Tsukiko's feet. "Well I think Sumi's going to need some help fending off our younger siblings so if you'll excuse me." He got up, nodded his head to us and took off after his siblings.

"This is going to be a very weird day." Han said.

"Every day of my life for the past two years has been weird." Nozomi said as she followed Kuro, Nami hot on her heals. "You tend to get used to it."

I still couldn't help but feel betrayed by her somehow. How could she not tell me she was alive. How could she let us go through that grief?

Nami's POV

I clung to Mama Sensei's dress. I was afraid if I were to let go she'd disappear. I kept crying no matter how hard I tried to stop. I missed her so much. I felt all of their joy that Nozomi was alive, all except one was happy. Yugito. Oh she was happy Mama Sensei was alive but furious that she didn't let us know about it. But I don't care. I'm just happy to have her back.

I felt her hand resting on the back of my head. I looked up at her as she smiled down at me. I noticed Yukimaru was holding her other hand.

The interior of the Temple was just as beautiful as the outside. The floor was marble with gemstones embedded in it. The walls had pictures that told stories about what I assume are past Jinchuriki. Some were sad and of dull colors, others were vibrant and cheerful, some were calm and peaceful looking.

We soon came to a large set of doors that were already slightly opened, I could hear laughter from with in. Lady Satsuki pulled the heavy doors open with extreme ease. Inside the Tails were wrestling in Mounting Size.

"Get off!" "You're on my Tail!" "No you're on mine!" But they were happy none the less.

"Well, it seems you are enjoying yourselves." Lady Satsuki said with a rusty laugh. "But it's time to get down to business."

The Tails stopped wrestling immediately and bolted into a large circle.

"Jinchuriki, take your place behind your Tail." Lady Satsuki instructed.

Tsukiko and Lady Satsuki were behind Kuro in a flash. I was surprised that someone so old could move so fast. _Two of them? How is that possible?_

I looked up at Mama Sensei, she nodded to me. I let go of her skirt and walked over to Miu and stood behind her.

"Don't worry Nami. Everything will be fine." Miu said.

Kushina was next and she stood behind Kitsune.

"Mom... Why are you here? You're not a Jinchuriki..." Naruto said. "And... I thought I was Kitsune's Jinchuriki..."

"Everything will be explained with this Meeting. Now the quicker we all get into our respective places the quicker we can get started." Mama Sensei said as she took her place behind Sumi.

With that all of the others took their places quickly. Mama Sensei was to right of me and Gaara and Shukaku to my left.

"This Meeting of the Jinchuriki and Tails will now begin." Mama Sensei said.


	19. The Temple of Time: Nozomi's Explination

Nozomi's POV

I was not looking forward to this Meeting. Questions would be asked and I held the answers to many. I sighed.

"This Meeting shall now commence." I said with confidence, though I felt like throwing up.

I sat down gracefully into an Indian Style, my dress fanned out around me perfectly though I did not adjust it so. The others followed suit, the Tails reduced to Traveling Size, some sat in their Jinchuriki's laps others sat next to them tall and proud.

I glanced at my daughter, happiness was still in her holly green eyes. Miu sat coiled in her lap. I looked around at the others. Kushina, Lady Satsuki, Tsukiko and the Tails looked like they shared my feelings. Yugito looked furious, with me no doubt. Han and Utakata looked impatient. Everyone else just looked plain confused.

The silence was awkward. Yugito finally spoke up. "How in the world are you alive?"

Yugito's POV

Nozomi looked like she wished I hadn't asked. She sighed again. She made a single hand sign, one I have never seen before, we were engulfed in gold and green light.

Before me there was a scene I couldn't believe. It was like I was at the movies, I could only watch and not interfere.

* * *

Nozomi stood facing several people, amoungst them was the First, Second, Third and Fourth Hokages, Minako and Hiroshi.

"Nozomi..." The Third Hokage said but Minako held up her hand.

"I think this should come from me and her father." She said gently. The Third nodded.

Hiroshi spoke. "Nozomi, when you were born you had a Seal placed on you-"

"Dad, I know Mom Sealed Sumi inside me. That's ancient history." Nozomi rolled her eyes.

"This is going to be interesting." A woman with sharp facial features muttered rolling her eyes.

"That was done _two _days after you were born." Minako said. "Long before you were born, long before I fell in love with your father, I had a vision. Much like the one you had of Kirabi and Yugito. Like the one you had of Megumi." I was seeing where she was going with this. "I saw your death." Minako said sadly.

_Minako knew... And she never told me..._ My own breathing became shallow. By the sound of it as had many others.

"When your mother was pregnant with you, she told me what she saw all those years ago."Hiroshi said. "I was terrified of you dying so young, so I spent the remainder of your mother's pregnancy developing a Seal. A Seal that would spare your life but only if you chose it to."

"But it's too late." Nozomi said simply. "I knew I was dying. I didn't try to fight death. I knew with the damage done to my heart by the blades, as well as the poison, I wouldn't live."

_She hadn't even... _Despite my anger at her I felt a tear run down my face.

"No. The Seal activates _after_you die." Hiroshi said. "It'll take a month for your body to regenerate. But you don't have much time to decide. Your body can only support the Seal for a little while longer unless you chose to live."

"You were the sacrifice, weren't you?" Nozomi asked her father. "For something like that to happen a life would have to be given."

"Yes. Willing and the person must love you unconditionally." Minako said.

_So that's how Hiroshi died..._

"Nozomi, it was only an option." Her father said. "It would not be an insult at all if you chose to stay with us."

Nozomi looked so torn. She looked down in deep thought, ready to burst into tears. Finally she spoke. "Send me back..." Her voice was barely audible. "Send me back." Her voice was strong and certain this time. "I have too much responsibility on Earth to stay. I have my Genin. I have my Village. Oto needs me... The up coming war... The Jinchuriki will need me..." She looked up. "I have to go back." She was fighting back tears.

Her birthmarks glowed slightly. The Spirits smiled at her.

"Well then..." Minako said. "Let's get started."

At these words the other Spirits took off into the forest. Nozomi looked at her mother confused.

"One month on Earth is equivalent to two years here." Minako said crossing her arms. "You don't think we're going to let you just sit here like a lump on a log while you could be training." Minako raised a white eyebrow.

"Looking forward to it." Nozomi said with relish.

"They trained me. And trained me hard." Nozomi's voice sounded loud and clear. But it wasn't coming from the young Nozomi I was watching. It sounded like a narrator in a movie. "My mother in Wind Style." A flash of her and her mother using a difficult Wind Jutsu. "My Father in Earth... Tobirama in Water... Hiruzen in Fire... Hashirama in Wood Style... Lady Reiki furthered my Medical training... I learned to master Energy Style from Nobuyuki himself..." With each teacher and Element she mention she showed us a quick flash of her training with each of them. "Toka Senju trained me in Genjutsu and Snake Style Kung Fu..." _So that's who that woman was..._ "Lightning Style proved to be a Challenge for me but in due time I mastered it like all the others."

_She was trained by so many... And mastered each Style they had to offer in a two year equivalence... _

"It wasn't easy." Nozomi's narrative voice came. "But I had learned all they could teach just before my time with them was up. When I returned I split in two. Part of me is here on Shizuka Na Jinkan No Yama. But as I was returning part of me yearned to be in Otogakure... With my Genin, my friends, the one I love... My subconscioustook this desire and manifested it into a human being. Otogakure knows not that the woman they know as Akiha Maria... Is merely a manifestation of my love and desire to be with them. But... I cannot... Not yet at least..."

Gold and green light engulfed us once more and we were back in the meeting room.

"I sent one Shock to let you know I was alive." Nozomi continued, but not in her narrative voice. "I can't leave Shizuka Na Jinkan No Yama for a while yet. My mind has to adjust to being on Earth, my life force must mingle with Earth slowly. I can travel down the sides of Shizuka Na Jinkan No Yama but I cannot leave it. Not yet. I am bound to it." Tears were streamind down Nozomi's fifteen year old face. "I have nothing more to say on the matter of my resurrection unless any of you have any more questions."

I felt like shit now. I gave her such a hard time and... I started crying myself. "I'm sorry..."


	20. The Temle of Time: Questions and Family!

Nozomi's POV

"You... Were trained by my dad?" Naruto asked.

I nodded. "Yes I was. He could be so serious sometimes." I laughed. "It was interesting."

Naruto looked a little jealous.

"Oh and Naruto..." I said.

"Yeah...?"

"He's proud of you." I smiled. "He told me to makes sure you knew that."

Naruto's face lit up instantly. Aunt Kushina put a hand on his shoulder. Kitsune nodded to Naruto from his spot on Naruto's lap.

"Why are you older?" Fu asked.

"Two years passed in the after life. My mind aged so my body did the same." I said simply.

"How long do you have to stay on this stupid mountain before you can leave?" Naruto asked.

"It's far from stupid Naruto." I said calmly. "And I don't know... I'll know when I can when it happens. There are things even my Jikan No Mirage cannot see."

"Jikan No Mirage?" Han asked.

"Mirage of Time..." Tsukiko said slowly. "Is a very rare Kekkei Genkai. It was one of the two original Dojutsu along with the Rinnegan. Every Dojutsu in the world originates from the combination of the two. In all of history there has only been ten users of it. Including Nozomi, Minako, Lady Reiki and I. It is extremely rare..."

"But what does it do?" Gaara asked.

"It does a lot of things." Rokuro, The Six Tailed Slug said. "It enables the user to see into the future, read minds, look into others memories, show others the users own memories... It also-"

"Know it all..." Tasunke muttered.

"Excuse me for paying attention for the last three thousand years." Rokuro said arrogantly. "And not gawking at mares."

"Why I oughta!" Tasunke raced over to attack his brother.

Sumi and Kuro were faster. Both of them pinned Tasunke down with extreme ease.

"Knock it off!" Kuro growled.

"We are not here to fight amongst each other." Sumi said as she and Kuro release their younger brother.

Kuro and Sumi returned to their respective places. "There are dangerous times a head of us and we will have to work together. Akatsuki is a threat to our family." Kuro the mention of Akatsuki all of the Tails became nervous. "But there is an even bigger threat to us."

"How can there be a bigger threat than the Akatsuki?" Hachirou piped up.

"He means ourselves." Valine said.

"I see what you are saying, Valin." Roshi said. "If we do not cooperate and get along we will collapse from the inside."

"Exactly." I said. "Now reason number two... Aunt Kushina, Yugito, Tsukiko... You three have some explaining to do." _My headache maybe over but yours is just beginning... _"But I think they can only handle one big shock for one twenty four hour period. Why don't we retire and pick this up again in the morning." I looked at Lady Satsuki. She nodded.

Nami's POV

Mama Sensei got up gracefully, her dress fluttered was she walked out of the Meeting room with Sumi at her heals.

_She was Akiha... She is Akiha... _

A tear trickle down my cheek. I felt Miu wipe it away with one of the feathers that stuck out of her mask.

Yugito stood up and was next to leave. Slowly everyone left until only Miu, Lady Satsuki, Tsukiko and I remained.

"You must be surprsied to see her again young one." Lady Satsuki said.

I nodded.

"Nozomi is a surprising child." Lady Satsuki went on. "I'm sure you can't wait to get reacquainted with her. But she is different than what she used to be. Dying changed her." With that Lady Satsuki left.

"Kuro..." I asked.

"Yes?"

"What is it like... Seeing them all again? Your brothers and sisters after so long..."

"It's... Hard to explain..." Kuro said. "I am very different than what I used to be. I see though that many of my siblings haven't changed very little to not at all. Rokuro is still a coward. Tasunke is still perverted and hot tempered. But some of them have changed. Aoko never knew when to be serious now she does but is still mischievous and playful. Cho is no longer as timid as she used be, she still is don't get me wrong. But..." He looked at me. "It will take some time for even us to adjust to each other after all this time. I have changed and so have they."

"But that doesn't change the fact that we are family." Miu said.

"Exactly." Kuro nodded his agreement. "You have changed as well Miu."

"Miu?" I blinked in surprise.

"Yes she used be a bitter little leach." Kuro said.

"You've changed too..." Miu said. "But you're still that annoying, obnoxious coyote who just loves to tease the crap out us. As you were all those years ago."

"Why you little..." Kuro growled then stopped. "Eh its true." Kuro shrugged in defeat.

If Miu could smirk I would have no doubt that's what she would be doing. "Some things shall never change." Miu said warmly.

Nozomi's POV

I left the Meeting Hall swiftly to avoid any more questions and one particular Jinchuriki. Yugito Nii...

I raced to the Court Yard and jumped onto the roof. I jumped from ledge to ledge until I reached the highest point on the Temple roof. I stared out at the never ending sunset. It changed on a daily basis. Sometimes it was red and gold, others it was puple and blue. Today it was a peachy-pink, golden-red, and pale blue. I loved this vantage point.

"Nozomi..." _Figures she'd find me..._

I kept my composure but barely. "Hello Yugito..."


	21. The Temple of Time: The Cat vs The Wolf!

Nozomi's POV

Yugito stared me down. "How..."

"How what Yugito?" I said, but by the tone of my voice she knew I understood.

"How could you not tell me..."

"Yugito, I didn't even know I was able to come back." My voiced cracked. I felt like I was going to cry.

"You altered that memory. Minako's done it before..." She hissed. "You knew..."

"Yugito..." I said seriously. "Is it me you're mad at..." He dark brown eyes met my light brown ones. "Or my mother?"

"HOW DARE YOU!" She lunged at me.

I flipped off the peak of the Temple roof to escape her punch. My feet had barely touched the ground when I saw Yugito was only seconds behind me. I back flipped to avoid her pinning me down. Yugito was under the full cover of her Jinchuriki cloak. She was covered in deep blue and black Chakra. Her hair was out of its bandages, by the way her hair was flowing it gave the impression she had cat ears. Two Tails flowed behind her.

"Kitty wants ta play?" I asked in a baby voice. I smirked. "Fine... Then the dog is gonna chase the cat up a tree." I spread my arms out, letting my Raw Energy cloak me in it's golden light. I can only go two Tails at a time so I didn't go beyond my limits. So I was going to get this over with as quickly as possible without going into a coma.

"The dog who barks the loudest is the weakest." She hissed at me.

"My old nickname in Oto was Wolf Bitch." I smirked at her. "So that saying doesn't apply."

She shot a fire ball at me. "Well they got bitch part right!" She yelled as I spun gracefully out of the way.

"Oh like I've never heard that one before!" I said as I jumped onto the roof again.

"Running away with your tails between your legs?" Yugito taunted as she chased after me.

I just ignored her and kept jumping from ledge to ledge. I was fully aware that the other Jinchuriki and Tails were watching. Even Aoko and Sumi were sitting back and letting us fight it out.

_Think... __In strength I'm better than her. But she has years of experience behind her... _

My mind was racing a million miles an hour as I slipped into another two Tails. I didn't want to hurt her but I knew I had to show her I wasn't that whiny, yelping little pup I used to be. For some reason I thought of our insults back and forth and I realized one thing was true.

_She's a cat and I'm a wolf... __Cat's hate water... The fountain!_

I raced to the Entrance Hall. She followed me into the Temple. I glanced at the murals on the walls of the long hallway. They were of Nobuyuki, Lady Reiki, their children and the Tails. Even Kuro was there.

_God be with me and luck shine on my path..._

It was ceremonial to say this as you pass through this hall. According to legend if you think this while going down the Entrance Hall then the saying will prove true. Yugito didn't know this.

I slipped into another two Tails. I felt exhilarated as I was in Six Tailed Mode. I was faster and I could feel myself move weightlessly over the marble and gemstone floor. I heard Yugito's footsteps as she followed me but it would be impossible for her to catch me unless i slowed down or stopped completely. I went faster, to the point where my feet barely touched the ground. I came to a light stop as I came into what we used as the Common Room. And in the center was a large fountain.

_Perfect..._

I smirked as Yugito came charging into the Common Room.

"Nozomi..." Yugito gritted through her teeth. "You really need to wake up. I'm older than you. I have more experience not only as a Kunoichi but also a more experienced Jinchuriki... I am stronger than you.."

"You are right about three of the four... You are older, yes you're in your twenties while I'm fifteen. Yes you have more experience, you've been a Shinobi for ten years while I've only been one for two. You have been a Jinchuriki for twenty seven years while I've been one for fifteen. But!" I held up one finger. "But..." I said in a near whisper. "You are wrong as far as strength goes... I surpass every Hokage, the Sannin, any Sensei I've ever had..." I held her gaze as I added an other two Tails to my Cloak. She looked slightly frightened. "I may be younger. I may not have been a Jinchuriki as long as you have. I may not be a Jonin... But I am at a level at least Kage... Ranks means virtually nothing in this situation! You. Can't. Beat me!"

Yugito's POV

This little brat has no respect for anyone any more... I can't believe her... She used to be so different... I cannot deny her power.

"You maybe stronger now... Perhaps stronger than me... But..." I stood tall, I wasn't about to let this pup show me up. "But you don't know how to use it!" My Cloak flared out.

Nozomi smirked. "Funny... Last I checked I did!" She made a single hand sign and the water in fountain formed into a giant snake.

It coiled around her protectively. _Water... Why does she have to use Water Style...?_

Water was like poison to me in Tail Mode. Not deadly just weakened me to the point where I could easily be taken down. But at this point I couldn't care less. All I cared about was showing this little pup that she wasn't better than me. I could feel the animal instinct take over me as my Cloak flared out even more. I shot a fire ball at her but both she and the water snake dodged out of the way. I hissed in frustration as Nozomi and the snake slipped out one of the large glassless windows.

I bolted after her. _I never imagined she could be this fast! _

Our fight took us all over the Temple grounds. It's a wonder we didn't destroy the place. Nozomi didn't go any further than her Six Tailed Transformation. She used various Jutsu. Lightning, Water, Earth, Wind, Fire and Wood. Now that I've seen what she can do I'm not so sure I could beat her. Her Lightning Style was amazing, every strand moved as she did; making her Cloak look even more beautiful than it already did. Her Water Style flowed like her dodges; smooth, graceful and flawless. Her Earth Style was strong and unyielding like her physical strength. The Wind moved to her slightest command; making her wooden weapons more than lethal. The flames in her Fire Jutsu were golden like her Cloak. I don't know how much longer I can keep my Cloak going. But I won't lose to her!

I easily deflected her own Fire Ball Jutsu. The Second I let my guard down I saw it. But I was too late. The water snake that had stuck with her throughout the battle crashed over me. The water literally burned. I screeched and hissed in pain. My vision was blurred, my entire body was shaking from the stinging sensation. I saw gold light flash. Then as quickly as the pain had come... It was gone.

I realized I was laying on the ground. I looked up as my vision cleared. Nozomi was leaning over me, her hands on my stomach. I noticed she went from Six to Eleven Tailed Mode. _She did that so quickly... _"Nozomi..." But just as I spoke she fainted and as did I.


	22. The Temle of Time: Sisters Reconcile!

Yugito's POV

A voice... I kept hearing a voice throughout my dreamless, restless sleep. I opened my eyes slowly and they traveled around the room. It was a rather large room with decked in black and blue. Everything from the drapes that hung over the window to the marble and gemstone floor. I noticed the murals on the wall were of past Nibi Jinchuriki. All of which were female. I wasn't there though. I had no idea there were so many. I only thought there were two before me. But there must be at least two hundred on the wall. Each Jinchuriki was no more than, at most, two feet tall. Each was dressed in blue and black. And... Each one had the Nii Clan symbol somewhere on their outfits.

I bolted up right only to be pushed back down. _Kirabi... __Oh god! Had he seen that entire fight? I never lost my cool like that! And even after I attacked her Nozomi still- _

"Nozomi!" I hadn't realized i said it aloud until Kirabi answered me.

"She's fine. Compared to her though, your wounds are b-"

"Don't go there please..." I placed a hand on my head. I felt hot but that was normal for me being the Nibi's Jinchuriki. "Where is she?"

"She's still unconcious and resting." He didn't even attempted to rap this time. "Like you should be!"

He said that last part as I rose out of bed. "I'm not just going to lay here while she's hurt because of me!" I snapped. I noticed I was in a silk blue and black robe. "What happened to my clothes?"

"They got singed." Kirabi pointed to what remained of my old garb. I walk over to the vanity table and picked up what remained of my shirt, pants and sandals. Not much was left. God I must have been practically nude when... OH GOD! What if Kirabi saw me! OH GOD! He probably did! I saw my face flush a deep shade of red in the mirror.

"Kirabi... What happened after I went unconscious...?"

"Roshi carried Nozomi and I carried you into the infirmary. You were treated by some Senchiha Clan Medics and were brought here. Why?"

_WHAT! OH GOD!_

I saw my face go even redder. I shook my head trying to brush off the embarrassment. "Take me to her..."

"You shouldn't even be out of bed! Tsukiko said if I let you out it would be my head!"

"Kirabi..." I said warningly. "If you don't take me to her I'll go by myself!" I walked toward the door, left the room and walked down the hall swiftly.

"Yugito!" Kirabi chased after me.

"I'm not going to- HEY!" I exclaimed as Kirabi picked up bridal style from behind.

Lady Satsuki's POV

Nozomi's fever finally broke just as he eyes fluttered open.

"Welcome back." I smiled.

She smiled back weakly. "I wish I knew water was like poison to the in Tailed Mode... It's all my fault if she's dying-"

"She's fine thanks to you." Tsukiko spoke up as she made her way over. "Yugito was hot headed growing up so it's only natural that she would react like this."

"But-"

"No buts child." I said resting an old and worn Kunoichi hand on her shoulder. "You two did take things farther than was needed though. But I have to admit I haven't seen a fight like that in years!" I gave one of my rusty laughs. "And coming from a three thousand year old woman that's saying something."

"Thank you..." Nozomi said. "I-"

She was cut off by a knock on the door. Kirabi was supporting Yugito as they walked into Nozomi's quarters.

"Nozomi!" Yugito pulled herself away from Kirabi and raced to Nozomi's bedside. She gripped one of Nozomi's hands in both of hers. "Forgive me. Please. I'm so sorry." The young Nibi Jinchuriki began to cry.

"What is there to forgive, Onee-chan?" Nozomi said smiling. This was too much for Yugito, she wrapped her arms around the younger girl.

"You were right... It was your mother I was mad at not you... And now that you're older... Especially now... You're just so much like her... The way you handled the Meeting... I got so confused and..." Yugito wiped a tear away from her eye. "I'm so sorry, Imoto-chan..." Yugito whispered.

"I'm glad you two have made up." I said. "And I know this is all confusing but right now we have a few more things to do." I hated to break up this heartwarming reconciliation but we have to get down to business. Even though we have all the time in the world if we waste time we will never get done what needs to be done.

"Ummm..." Yugito said.

"Yes?" I raised an eye brow.

"If... There is going to be another Meeting... I really don't think I should go in a silk robe... I'd at least like to have a bra... After all mine kinda got... Singed..." Yugito blushed.

"I got it covered." I said. "Yuki! Emi!" I called.

Two of my Clanmates appeared out of thin air. Yuki was in her twenties, she had snow white, shoulder legth hair kept in a low pony tail. While Emi was only ten and had blond hair, nearly the same shade as Nozomi.

"You called, My Lady?" Emi said. As usual she was hyper.

"Miss Nii here needs some new clothes after that little..." I thought for a moment to think of the right word. "Spar between her and Nozomi..." I winked at Yugito causing her to give a nervous laugh.

Emi walked up to Yugito and took her by the hand. "Come on, Miss Nii." She said pulling Yugito out of Nozomi's gold and green decorated quaters.

Nozomi laughed at the sight as she got out of bed. "Emi is so eager... She reminds me of my one daughter Ayame." She said said as she turned her hair to wood so she could easlily style it.

"I know." Tsukiko said. "I watched some of your lessons with them. They are quite a mix... But a good one. Do you think Yugito tomodachi will survive Emi?"

"She doesn't stand a chance!" I laughed.

Emi's POV

I dragged Miss Nii down the Temple halls. My older cousin Yuki was following close behind.

"Is she always like this?" Miss Nii asked.

"Yes. She gets annoying but you learn to love her."

"She seems like a younger version of Fu." Miss Nii said.

Yuki laughed.

Finally we reached my favorite part of the Temple; Seamstress Hall. I flung open the doors. Inside the room there was every fabric known to man and several my Clan made themselves. Yuki grabbed a tapemeasure. "Let's get started." She said


	23. The Temle of Time: The Storm Clouds!

Yuki's POV

Emi pulled Yugito into Seamstress Hall. Like everywhere else in the Temple the floor was gemstone and marble, the walls were covered in murals of seamstresses sewing, spilling wool, cotton or silk, measuring people, making drapes and clothes... Each person represented a real Seamstress or Tailor of the Clan past and present. Some were adults and others were children. The painted version ages as you do. Needless to say when you stop aging as does the portrait of yourself... The beauty of paint infused with your Chakra and Life Energy. You were added when you completed your apprenticeship. Emi was only twenty four hours away from getting added to the vast of Shinobi Seamstresses and Tailors.

Emi was rambling on about Yugito's complexion, hair color, how she normally kept her hair, did she have any weapons besides the basics? Did she prefer pants, pants with a skirt or just a skirt? Long sleeves or short sleeves? Color preference, etc. All the important questions when designing a Shinobi garb. I felt so proud of her, I had spent six years training her in this tricky art and she was finally ready to take her place amongst the rest of us.

All I did was measure Yugito. I was letting Emido the rest with maybe a few pointers to throw in if she needed them. After I measured Yugito Emi bolted over to a table with some paper, pencils and colored ink. She drew vigorously, occasionally glancing back at Yugito with my Clan's trade mark purple eyes. She drew for about two hours; drawing, erasing, and redrawing, scribbling colors on a scrap sheet of paper.

The entire time Yugito had to hold still, even for a Shinobi this wasn't very easy. People praise Shinobi for our abilities for things like that but the truth is we do move... It's just so subtle we barely notice it ourselves but if someone is watching critically like Emi is... It's plain as day to see.

"Yugito!" Aoko came bounding into the room.

I grabbed her by the scruff of the neck to keep her from tackling Yugito. I jerked my head in Emi's direction.

"Oh..." Aoko said. She pulled her legs closer to her body, put her ears back and gave me the 'eyes'. I hate it when any animal does that. The 'eyes'. It goes straight to yours soul.

I tried to fight it but I put her down gently anyway. _Damn the 'eyes'_

"It's okay!" Emi said. "I'm done with the sketch!" She skipped over to us with the drawing pad in hand. She held it up for us to see.

Yugito's jaw dropped in shock. "You did this?"

Kirabi's POV

All of us were waiting for Yugito in the Meeting Hall.

"Where is she?" Han said impatiently as he tapped his fingers on his steam armor.

The doors creaked open.

"That answer your question?" Naruto and Kitsune said at the same time.

Everyone'shead but mine turned to the doorway. Someone let out a low whistle. "Nice." "Cute!"

I turned my head slowly. I felt my jaw drop.

"Ummm..." She rubbed her shoulder. "I guess it looks good?"

"It's so cute!" Fu said.

"Emi is a genius." Nozomi said warmly. "She designed the dress I'm wearing now as well as the one Akiha is wearing."

I couldn't take my eyes off her even as she sat down. Though she couldn't see it because of my shades.

"Alrighty then!" Lady Satsuki said. "Let's get down to business."

Nozomi's POV

_Emi you've outdone yourself yet again._

Yugito's new outfit consisted of a black elbow length sleeve undershirt with the Nii Clan symbol in yellow across the breast, with a dark blue, cropped, short sleeve jacket. Her new hitai-ate was on a yellow cloth, the same shade as Aoko's. She wore it around her waist. She had a black short skirt, leggings the same color as her jacket, and what looked like half an ankle length skirt. There was no front to the skirt just the back half of it. She also wore black, low healed sandals, similar to mine but not wedges. They were more like my grandma's and Aunt Shizune's and Konan's.

She looked pretty good in the out fit. Good enough that Kirabi couldn't take his eyes off her but then again... It's not like ever could in the first place.

"Alrighty then!" Lady Satsuki said. "Let's get down to business."

"I want to know why and how Kuro is still here." Kitsune said. _Well that's getting to the point._

Kuro shrugged. "It is only fair that you know. Nozomi would you...?"

I sighed. "Going this far back in someone's memory is going to take a lot out of me." I muttered as I made the sign.

Gold and green light claimed the room. My eyes burned with pain for a moment from going so far back.

Lady Satsuki was only eight in this memory. She had coal black hair and she wasn't blind in one eye. Her older brother, Ichiro was ten. Her younger brother, Hashirama, was six. They were all chasing Sumi around a table laughing.

Lady Reiki entered the room. "Kids will you please keep it down! You're father is trying to think." She gave them a look I knew all too well. Must be hereditary.

"Sorry Mom..." The three children said in unison. They looked genuinely scared and sorry. They played with simple toys, ball in a cup, dolls, wooden toy soldiers, etc. Eventually the Sage of the Six Paths himself entered the room. I had often wondered what the man actually looked like.

He had long, _blond _spiky hair flowing backwards. I never pictured the Sage as a blond. He wore what appeared to be a cloak with a high open collarshowing his necklace with six red magatama. His long coat swept to the floor. He had an certain look about him that demanded respect. His expression was solemn. His children looked slightly frightened. As if he normally wasn' like this.

"Daddy...?" The youngest son said uncertainly.

The Sage looked at his children for the first time since he entered the room. "Sumi..."

Sumi got up from her place near the fire. "I understand Nobuyuki."

Both she and The Sage left the house. Now that I look around better it was actually a mansion.

"Mommy?" The oldest boy said.

"Yes, Ichiro?" She said tiredly.

"Where's Daddy and Sumi going?"

"He's sending Kuro back to his home dimension and if he can Sumi too."

"What?" The youngest exclaimed. "But Sumi's part of the family! Can't we at least give Kuro a chance?"

"Hashirama, they have a home and a family too."

"Yeah and that's here with us!" the _much _younger version of Lady Satsuki exclaimed. "Mommy we should give Kuro a chance!"

"That's enough!" Lady Reiki yelled. "I don't want to hear another word on this matter! This is a decision for you father to make! Not you! Now go to your rooms!" She pointed toward a hallway.

The three young children walked down the hall until they came to a set of stairs and went up them. The size of the mansion trully surprised me.

The three children went into their rooms which were side by side by side. We were in Lady Satsuki's room. She walked around her room. Lay on her bed. Tired to read a scroll. Do anything. But she just couldn't keep her focus.

A smirk crossed her face. She yanked down her drapes, pulled the covers off her bed and tied them all together into a rope. She tied one end to her bed post and flung the rest out the window. She started to descend the rope.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ichiro and Hashirama were standing in the doorframe.

"Shouldn't you be in your rooms?" Satsuki snapped.

"Shouldn't you be in yours?" Ichiro asked raising an eyebrow.

"I'm just going to watch." She said.

"Okay have fun!" Hashirama shrugged. It didn't seem like it shocked Satsuki that Hashirama reacted like this.

"Ummm. You're not going anywhere." Ichiro said. This made Satsuki mad but she wasn't surprised.

"Well if you don't wanna come don't." She slid out of sight.

She ran in the direction of a scary, angry looking storm cloud that was miles away. She raced through a forest and through a field. She climbed up a steep cliff. She ran along the edge of the cliff, what she had been running through was a large valley. You couldn't see the other side if you were to look straight across.

Satsuki was only a mile from the storm cloud. She gasped in shock and to be honest... So did I.


	24. The Temple of Time: Origin of the Tails!

Nozomi's POV

I gazed in horror at the storm cloud. In the cloud an enormous animal figure was withering in pain as they were being transported from this dimension to the next. Satsuki's face was of sheer horror. She lookedlike she was shouting something but her voice was lost over the roar of the wind. She raced to the storm cloud, still screaming something. With my Jikan I knew what she was screaming.

Lady Satsuki's POV

I remember this day better than I remember my own children being born. It was both one of the worst and one of the best days of my life. I watched myself get swept up into the vortex. My father was too busy trying to send Kuro to his dimension to notice me.

I watched myself scream as loud as I could but the wind was so loud I couldn't be heard. I was swept closer and closer to the next dimension. I reached out to the only solid thing that was there. Kuro. I screamed Help me!' I couldn't even hear myself. But Kuro did... I looked into his black eyes that blended into his fur. They said 'Trust me.' I nodded and he wrapped one of his Tails around my body.

I was completely surrounded by black fur. I gripped the fur tightly. I felt my tears dampen his fur even though I felt safe. Like I was in my father's arms. I fell asleep despite the fact that there was an interdemensional vortex swirling outside the tail I was wrapped in.

The next thing I knew I was waking up in a cave. I was alone.

"H-hello?"

"You're up... Good. I was worried."

"K-Kuro?"

"I am here."

"Where?"

He stepped out of the shadows. He walked up to me and sat down before me. He was about the same Size as Sumi in Mounting Size only slightly smaller. I stretched out my hand and touched the odd marking in his fur. He pressed his head into my hand. I smiled as he pulled away.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"We are in the Valley of the Moon and Sun." He looked back at me. "We are still in your dimension."

"What happened?" I asked.

"When you got sucked into the vortex you asked for help. I answered. You trusting me created a bond between the two of us. Our Life Forces got entwined. So long as I live, you will. And as for what kept us here in your dimension i don't know. But us staying here does have consequences."

"Consequences?" I asked

"Your father is no longer my Jinchuriki."

"Does that mean-?"

"Not exactly. But our Life Forces are entwined. So long as I live, you will live. In addition you and any of your descendants will have some of my powers."

"Such as?"

"The ability to control and bend light."

"Okay..." To me this wasn't such a big deal.

He chuckled. "In time you will learn to appreciate light's true power." He was silent and solemn now.

"What's wrong?"

"Keeping you and I in this dimension had another consequence. I should say ten consequences."

"Ten?"

"My nine other siblings and my cousin also got dragged into this dimension."

Gold and green light claimed the scene.

"Well..." I said to the Tails and young Jinchuriki. "That's why Kuro's here and how the rest of the Tails got dragged into this dimension. Today's Meeting is adjourned." I got up and left swiftly to avoid questions. Kuro was smart and followed me out.

Tsukiko's POV

Lady Satsuki and Kuro left the Meeting Hall swiftly.

"Well now I know exactly who to blame for being stuck here." Hachirou said.

"Oh you love it here!" Aoko said. "You told me so last night! I quote: 'It's better here than back home. At least-'"

"Okay cork it!" Hachirou snapped as he tackled Aoko.

Yugito jumped out of the way to avoid getting dragged into the sibling brawl. Within seconds every Tail was in the wrestling match.

I laughed as they wrestled. "Come on. Let's leave them to it."

The other Jinchuriki followed me out.

"Well this explains a lot." Roshi said.

"Yes, it does." I said. "But for the children of my Clan it is a bedtime story. We know the truth of the Clan's origin at the earliest of ages."

"No. Well yes. But not what he meant." Nozomi said. "He meant how you always pop out of nowhere."

I laughed. "_That _is a lot of fun! Half the time we make each other jump!"

"So what's up with all these murals, paintings, -"

"We get it already." Naruto interrupted Fu, who stuck her tongue out at him.

"The tell the history of the Shinobi World." I said. "This is how we learn history."

"I had no idea there were so many Nibi Jinchuriki." Yugito said.

"Yes the Tails got new Jinchuriki every three to four generations up until the Hidden Village Era. The era we live in now." I said.

"It must have been hard for them." Kushina said. "For them the time they got with each Jinchuriki must have seemed like a blink of an eye for them..."

I stopped in my tracks. Kuro has had more Jinchuriki than any other Tail. He said that very thing. It was an honor to be his Jinchuriki and I felt I was close to him. "It is difficult for them all. They all have received so many... Each of them they've had different relationships with. To be honest you all are the first Jinchuriki in over two hundred years that they have gotten to meet and get to know. So if they make a mistake, or come on strong cut them some slack." I turned to them, I activated my Jikan No Mirage with it came the usual pain. "No one can know what another person thinks, how an other person feels on a matter or subject than a Jikan No Mirage user. It can be good or it can be bad. Depends on how you look at it. I know some of you don't get along with your Tails the best but I beg to be patient with them. This up coming ceremony means a lot to them all. Besides Kuro none of them have had this ceremony for since long before the Hidden Village Era. Please... Try to understand them."

With that I turned and left my fellows to their thoughts. I deactivated my Jikan. I don't think I want to hear them right now.

Nozomi's POV

Tsukiko left the others speechless. Well except for Naruto but how is that new?

"What ceremony?"

"Well that will be next twenty four hours topic. I think I'll grab something from the kitchens and then retire for the next eight hours. Going so far back in time takes a lot out of me." I walked toward the kitchens.

I heard footsteps approach me. I recognized them as Aunt Kushina's.

"Nozomi, do you have a moment?" Aunt Kushina asked.

"Of course." I said.

"You've really grown up." She said as we sat on the counters eating a cheesecake. And I mean a whole cheesecake; heavy like a brick.

"Well two years equivilant in a month's time and dying will do that to someone." I said as i took a bite of cheesecake.

"Even the way you talk... It's so... Formal... You're so much more calm and collective..."

I smiled. "I know. I have had many teachers and each of them had different styles of teaching. I don't think I would be anything like this at fifteen if I hadn't have died." I sighed.

"Some of your old habits have stuck though."

"Oh?" I asked.

"You still sigh, tuck your bangs behind your ears and roll your eyes." Aunt Kushina said taking bite.

"Well old habits do die hard. And most of those are hereditary. Toka Senju used to roll her eyes all the time, as do several of my ancestors. Sighing a lot was something my mother did, my grandmother, my great-grandmother, etc. As for tucking my bangs behind my ears that I picked up from Aunt Shizune..." I paused as I was about to take another bite. "Are you scared?"

"No. I'm not." Aunt Kushina said. "The Transefere must happen before next October or Naruto, Kitsune and I will die. Either way, whether I go through with the Transefere or not, I will die. But I can't let Kitsune and Naruto die. Our Plan didn't work..."


	25. The Temple of Time: The Unknown Fate!

Kitsune's POV

Naruto had crashed after a Senchiha Clan member brought him some ramen. Kushina was most likely in the kitchen with Nozomi.

I walked around the Temple on my own. It had been a long time since I had been here. There were still many blank walls for future generations stories. I had a feeling Naruto's would be on one of these walls someday. Only the Jinchuriki who have left their mark on our heritage were put on these walls.

I walked into the Common Room to find dozens of Clan members and some of the Jinchuriki talking, lounging, just doing what ever really. I noticed Emi was controlling a beam of light and focusing it on several spots on the floor which some of my younger siblings eagerly chased. I shook my head. But I was glad they were enjoying themselves.

I turned and left for my favorite spot in the entire Temple. It was a small cliff that lie just near the edge of the summit. I took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air.

"It's quite a sight isn't it?" Kuro came and sat beside me.

"It is."

"I'm sorry I dragged you to this dimension. But it was that or Satsuki would have gotten dragged into our war torn world. And the centuries long war here had just ended. I didn't want that child to know it so young."

"I understand. Besides it's not like time is going anywhere fast back home." I said. "But I do miss her."

"Ariana?"

I nodded. "And mom."

"Well I think this goes without saying but all of us do." He looked to the stars. "Did you know Sumi never wept over mom's death?"

"No... I didn't." This surprised me completely.

He sighed. "Beautiful... Just beautiful..." He muttered. "Did you know this is where I entered this dimension. Why time doesn't move here. I'm glad too. This is the most beautiful places I've ever been. Including places back home."

"I must disagree with you there. Konoha-"

"Well to each their own." Kuro said cutting me off.

_Kuro used to be the so tempermental. Now... __He's change so much, while the rest of us have barely changed at all. Who'd have thought one child could make so much difference..._

Kushina's POV

Nozomi left while there was still half a cheesecake left, which is strange for her. Or at least the her I used to know. Minutes later Tsukiko walked in.

"Hey, Meinai Shi." I said shoving another piece of cheesecake in my mouth.

"Hey, Tomato." She said.

I stuck my tongue out at her. "I can't believe you remember that. And come on! I call you 'Death That Cannot Be Seen' and you call me by that old name?" I playfully let my Cloak come on a little bit.

Tsukiko laughed. "Like I'm scared of you Pepper."

"It's Habanero!" I said. Tsukiko laughed again. "So how does it feel to be home?"

Tsukiko sighed. "It feels great. I really missed this place. Emi said my clothes are boring and that she's going to design me some new ones."

"Well I agree with Emi." I said. "You always were in need a fasion help!"

"Hey!" Tsukiko said.

"I remember dragging you into a few stores and you picked out the plainest clothes." I said.

"I still have the marks from the last time." Tsukiko said.

"Burn marks from Yugito?"

"Yep." She said rolling up her long sleeves revealing the burn marks from when Yugito accidentally hurt her. "We're Jinchuriki. Stuff happens." She shrugged.

"I still can't believe how much Nozomi has changed." I said.

"She's not the little girl she used to be. She's grown..." Tsukiko said as she bit into a slice of cheesecake and pointed her fork at me. "In more ways than one. She no longer needs constant reassurance. She is more confident in who she is. She knows the three possible out comes of her life."

"Only three?" I asked.

"Yes... One: She dies young again dying for hundreds of lives in battle but ending a war in the process. Two: She and her husband live a long and happy life together with children, grandchildren... Three:..." Tsukiko trailed off.

"What's wrong? What's the third possibility?" I pressed. "Tell me!" I banged my fist off the counter, causing what was left of the cheesecake to fall on the ground.

"She didn't say..."

"And you didn't look into her mind to find out?" I glared at her.

"I respect her too much to do so. She had the visions not me." Tsukiko said sadly. "And when she says don't ask.." She became serious, her violet eyes were hard and cold. "You don't."

Lady Satsuki's POV

It was only two hours until the next Meeting would begin. Today they would find out Kushina would be completing the Transfer. Only Kushina, Nozomi, Yugito and Tsukiko knew about the Transfer besides me. I sighed from my favorite spot in the Temple. It wasn't even in the Temple actually. It was one of the old training grounds that had been forgotten over time. Now it was a field. I remember many training sessions with many of the past Jinchuriki. Now that was done in the Court Yard.

Tomorrow will be both a joyous and sorrowful day for the Jinchuriki. One would die and an other would be another step closer to his destiny.

Tsunade's POV

The Village looked calm and peaceful in the light of dusk. But the civilian view couldn't be more different from the military perspective. We have no idea when or how Kushina got out of the Village undetected.

_At least Naruto is still with Jiraiya... She can't complete the Transefer without Naruto... Would... Would Jiraiya agree with Kushina and just hand Naruto over? He wouldn't-_

"Hime..." _Dam it! What is he doing here?_ "Guess who I lost..."


	26. The Temple Of Time:

Akiha's POV

I sat by the fire's glow. I have a feeling there was a lot of drama going on between the Jinchuriki. Tears, laughter, solemn words, and fond memories. I smiled at the thought. Nami and Yukimaru needed a reason to smile. Nozomi was a sister to Yukimaru and a mother to Nami. Nami never came out and said it but from what I gathered from the others and how she spoke of her, that's what I took their relationship as.

I drifted off into sleep around ten o clock but I was woken up by some commotion in the forest. The fire had gone out. _Good. Now to see what the heck that was about._

I raced through the thick forest as quickly and as quietly as I could. I found the source of the noise. A battle. Between some roughs and Leaf Shinobi. Personally I'm kinda siding with the Leaf Shinobi on this one. Now that I look closer it was one Leaf Shinobi versus five roughs. The Ninja was rather young, about thirteen. He was immensely talented but he was having trouble against five. Oto was supposed to hate Konoha and vice versa. But my heart went out to the poor black haired boy.

I leapt at the roughs, striking at each of them in the back. They fell to the ground. The young Konoha Shinobi looked at me confused. "Sabishii Hana?"

"Who's Lonely Flower?" I asked just as confused as the boy looked.

Suddenly pain crossed his face as his hands flew to his side. Blood was seeping through his fingers, he fell. I was at his side instantly, I caught him before he hit the forest floor. I lay him down and rolled up his shirt swiftly. I don't know how I knew what to do. I just simply did.

"Don't die on me kid. Don't die. Don't die..." I let the glow of the Mystical Palm Jutsu do it's job. He was bleeding badly, I don't know how I was able to stop it but... I felt so light headed.

"Step away from the boy Oto Bitch!" I heard someone call from behind me. But I didn't have time to obay what he was saying. I fainted.

Tsunade's POV

"You... Didn't..." I growled.

"Ummmm... I did..."

"How...?" I was boiling mad.

"Well... There was this cat..." He plunged into the story.

Koharu's POV

BOOM!

"What was that?" Homura asked.

"I can take a guess." I muttered as I got up.

And of course I was right. When we got to Tsunade's office there was a gawping hole in the wall and Jiraiya was lying amongst the rubble in the hall looking dazed.

"Wonder what he did this time." Homura said.

"YOU BAKA!" Tsunade came bursting through the hole in the wall. "How could you lose him?" She shouted as she grabbed him by the collar.

"Hime come! The market was in utter chaos! How could I have kept track of him?" Jiraiya pleaded.

Now how does this sound familiar?

"THIS IS JUST LIKE THE TIME WHEN YOU LOST YOUR OWN DAUGHTERS IN TOWN! YOU WOULD THINK-!"

So that's how this is familiar. That wasn't pretty either. Jiraiya lost both Konan and Minako in town and Tsunade went ballistic looking for them. Turns out the girls were in a toy shop. But Tsunade was still furious with him about even after all these years. Personally don't blame her.

"Tsunade what is going on?" I asked. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Tsunade Hime, you know those two. Both equally stubborn. Do you think you could stop them?" Jiraiya tried to reason. He might as well start digging his grave now.

"Do you even know where this Transfer is being held?" Homura asked.

"No... But I do know how to find them..." She muttered. Now she lost me and apparently Homaru and Jiraiya as well. "Before Minato died he did teach me the basics of the Flying Thunder God Jutsu... And he incorporated it into Kushina's Seal so he could be at her side instantly if she ever needed him..."

I saw where she was going with this. But I didn't agree that she should stop the Transfer. "Tsunade, I don't think you should-"

"Koharu stay out of this!" Tsunade snapped.

"Tsunade, there will more then likely be more than just Kushina and Naruto there." I said trying to refrain from yelling at her. "Think about it. A little_ red _haired girl and a little _blond_ girl chasing a _cat._That was set up. Yugito and Kushina chasing Aoko. And the old man sounds like Roshi to me."

Tsunade looked at me, her expression was hard to read. She was about to say something when the door burst open.

"Lady Tsunade!" A panting ANBU stood hunched over in the doorway. "On a mission we ran into a Sound Kunoichi and were able to apprehend her."

"So interrogated her and inform me later!" Tsunade snapped. "I-"

"She's withstood Ibiki." The ANBU said nervously. _What? _"With ease... He can't get her to crack. She says if we want anything out of her she wants to say it to the Hokage's face first."

Tsunade looked furious. "Fine!"

_This oughta be good..._


	27. The Temple of Time: Akiha's Expination!

Ibiki's POV

_What the Hell is it with these girls? Am I losing my touch or something? This girl is completely unfazed by anything I throw at her. She's obviously good. Either that or she is clueless. But that does explain wy she hasn't cracked._

"I know what you're thinking." The red head said. "Don't ask me how. I just do. I wish I didn't though. I can see your past. Your pain. Your happiness and sorrow. No one can know anyone better than I can. I know how a certain person's mind works. I wish I didn't... It's just..." She paused to think of a certain word. "Over whelming... To be burdened with everyone else's burdens. Their pain becomes my pain. Butat the same time it's allowed me to connect with the people of my Village... In a way... I could never have hoped to achieve before..." She blinked slowly lost in thought. She suddenly shook her head. "I'm sorry what were we talking about?"

_I... Hate... Her..._

"I heard that." She said. "And you're not the first. Lord Orochimaru... I tick him off all the time. I don't mean to I just do." She blinked. "You do know I'm going to keep rambling until I speak to the Hokage, right?"

_Correction. I really hate her._

"She won't say no." She suddenly said.

"What?"

"She. Won't. Say. No." She said it in sylables. "The girl. She won't say no. Trust me." She smiled warmly. He green eyes were warm. "It's a strange world. You have a chance but I don't. The one I love thinks I'm dead. And I can't show him I'm alive and love him. Because I don't even know who I am. Don't take memory for granted. Even if you wish there were some you could forget."

_She reminds me of-_

My thoughts were cut off by someone opening the door. Lady Tsunade, Master Jiraiya, Koharu and Homaru stood there.

"So this is the Oto girl you can't break..." Lady Tsunade said. She didn't look like she was in a good mood to begin with. _Great. I am so dead._

"I take it you are Lady Tsunade then." The red head said as the Hokage nodded. "Good. My name is Akiha Maria. I can't remember my last name. But not important as to who I am but what I was doing when I found one of you're Shinobi being attacked and saved his life."

That's new.

"You saved one of our Shinobi..." Koharu said in shock. "Why?"

Akiha sighed. "To me... A life is a life. No matter who you are. In that situation I was a neutral party. My mission had nothing to do with your Village. I saw a young Shinobi fighting five adults. I saw he was struggling, I thought I should even the odds a bit. And after I helped him defeat the roughs I saw he had a bad stomach wound so I healed him. Personally five against one isn't very fair now is it?"Akiha raised an eyebrow.

"Did one of our Shinobi do something to you that caused you to lose-"

"My memory?" Akiha cut off Ibiki. "No. Oto found me like this. I was unconscious in the snow and would have died of hypothermia if they hadn't have saved me. And Otogakure had nothing to do with me losing my memory either. I have very little memory of my past. I remember I was a Chunin by rank though in skill I must say I'm at least Jonin. So that leads me to believe I was most likely going to take my Jonin test soon..." Akiha paused. "I know I was taught Medical Ninjutsu by my grandmother and aunt. My parents sacrificed their lives for me, I know that much. But how old I was I have no idea. I scarcely remember anything else. And quite frankly I don't want to. I'm happy with my life in Otogakure though I have been a Kunoichi of theirs for only about a week." She held up her hands saying 'Well what else do ya want?'

"What-?"

"Was my mission?" Akiha cut off Master Jiraiya. "Well, to be honest it's not really top secret. Well from my subordinates, a.k.a. pretty much everyone but Lord Orochimaru, it is. Lord Orochimaru doesn't want them to panic. Panic leads to chaos, chaos leads to destruction and death. And quite frankly I don't feel like dealing with it." Akiha raised her eyebrows.

"Hold on!" This girl was really confusing me. "You told me you had-"

"Been in Otogakure for going on two weeks and I become one of Lord Orochimaru's high ups in such a short time? Simple. One my power. I refused to join Oto until I saw just how strong Lord Orochimaru was. I fought him. I did lose but in the last ten minutes of the fight I quite trying." Akiha shrugged. "In other words I could have killed him if I wanted to but I just. Didn't. Feel. Like. It."

"And why not?" Lady Tsunade asked. "He's-"

"I know what he is Lady Tsunade." Akiha said, her glare was quite similar, if not identical to Lady Tsunade's. "But look at things from my perspective. What would have happened if I had killed him? I highly doubt Otogakure would have followed me afterwards because at the time, I have their respect, yes that is true. But one crucial thing is their trust. I'm slowly gaining it but I don't have it completely yet. And as for just leaving and saying 'Okay I killed the only person who could possibly lead you. Good luck!' I don't think so. I'm not going to doom hundreds of thousands of people like that. Okay most of us are sadistic. But what else is new?"

Akiha looked at us seeing if we were understanding. "What you see of Otogakure is completely different than what we are. You see the sadistic and merciless side of us. But that's all we see of you too. Well maybe not he sadistic part..." Akiha shook her head quickly. "Any way. There's a whole side to us you don't even know. We go to the movies, throw parties in the Lounge, scrub floors, wash clothes, eat, sleep, train, go on dates..."

_I see where she's going with this._

"We're not all that different." Akiha said. "The only difference is that our Village is spread out across the country. And most of us were orphaned or abandoned by our parents. We had no where to go, we were starving on the streets, dying of cold... Then along comes this Orochimaru guy with the promise of food and a bed to sleep in. Do you know how many of my fellow Oto Shinobi never even slept in a bed until Orochimaru took them in? Not many. And once in Otogakure people formed gangs for protection. But those gang members soon became the family most of them never had. People took on roles as mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, and some became lovers. Now we lose people like any other Village. Only for us it's not only to our duties as Shinobi. But some of us were lost to experiments and..." Akiha shuddered. "But to most of us it was worth it. To have what we never had before..."

_I never knew any of this before..._

"Now once Lady Nozomi came along things changed. Family groups stopped being hostile to other groups and to their own members. People started to realize what a jerk Lord Orochimaru was, to put it nicely. They saw her as their saviour, hence how she earned the title 'Angel of Hope', 'Lady Angel', etc. Or so I have been told, I never got the honor of meeting her. But I do know this. If Lady Nozomi was alive I would have killed Lord Orochimaru. Because then they would have had someone to lead them, someone they loved and trusted and was capable of leading a large number." Akiha stared off into space. "I'm sorry that was a bit off topic wasn't it? What were we originally talking about? Oh! That's right what was my mission that I couldn't tell my subordinates. Well it has to do with The Akatsuki."

Lady Tsunade's POV

"Ibiki would you please leave."

He looked at me questioningly but left.

"What does the Akatsuki have to do with anything?" Koharu asked.

Akiha sighed. "The Akatsuki is a truly evil organization that actually sickens even Lord Orochimaru. He hates them more than he hates Konoha and that..." Akiha pointed at me. "Is saying something turst me."

"What is Akatsuki?" Homaru asked. "I've heard a little bit about them but..."

"Their you're typical bad guy organization. Take over the world, money, power etc." Akiha waved her hand dismissivly. "Ordinarily I would take them in high regard but... It's how they plan to take over the world is what bothers me. They plan to use the Tails. Capture each one and fuse them back into the Ten Tailed Coyote."


	28. The Temple of Time:Race To The Mountain!

Akiha's POV

I gazed at the elders before me. "But of course their plan won't quite go as planned. As the Tails were never one being in the first place. But that doesn't change the fact that The Akatsuki are going to capture them. And with the Summit going on it will only make it that much easier for them to be captured on their way home. That's what Lord Orochimaru sent me for. To escort them all home. Make sure Akatsuki doesn't get a hold of them. Keep Akatsuki away from them. You get the idea. I can't say anything else." I folded my hands on the desk. Some of what I had told them was lying a bit but not much.

"If you couldn't-"

"Beat Lord Orochimaru what makes him think I could stand a chance against Akatsuki? I lost to him on purpose. Remember?" I cut off Lady Tsunade. "Trust me I can handle one Akatsuki member. But the problem is they travel in two man cells and I'm not sure how I could handle two of them. But the advantage is that I'd have so many Jinchuriki with me and most of them are in control of their powers. For the most part any way... I understand that there are some holes in this plan but it's the best we got right now."

"How long-?"

"Is this Summit going to be?" I finished for Lord Jiraiya. "No idea. Depends on how long they drag things out. Well after the talking portion is over, which has lasted from the begging of the Summit until now, they have training to harness the true power of their Tails. That could take a few weeks..." I trailed off. "It all depends on them." I shrugged. "Now please I kinda have to make sure Akatsuki doesn't kidnap any Jinchuriki in my absence. Oh and I _let _your ANBU capture me." I stuck out my tongue as I made my sign and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Jiraiya's POV

"Didn't they block her Chakra or something?"

"They should have..." Koharu muttered. She and Homaru looked pretty dazed by what they had just heard. And the fact that our one Oto hostage just literally vanished.

Tsunade Hime looked completely shocked. "Don't send anyone after her. If what she was saying was true than in this aspect Otogakure could be an unspoken ally against Akatsuki. One we shouldn't trust completely but never the less..."

"What if she was lying?" Koharu asked, squinting her eyes more than they normally were. "How do you know she was telling us the truth?"

"Call it mother's instinct." Tsunade Hime walked out of the room.

I'm not sure whether or not to trust Akiha. But... She reminded me of Nozomi for some reason. But was that any reason to trust her?

I followed Tsunade Hime out. "Why do you trust that Oto Kunoichi?"

"Because... She reminds me of Nozomi. I can't put my finger on it but..." Hime shook her head in frustration.

I wrapped my arm around her waist. "Well at the very least we can take advantage of seeing each other again so soon." I whispered in her ear.

"Hmmm... Why don't we...?" Tsunade Hime smiled seductively. "Because Kushina is going to die!" She snapped pulling away from me. She disappeared in a yellow flash. Damn it!

"Tsunade went after them didn't she?" I head Koharu say from behind me.

"Yep." I said.

"Well I guess this means we have to go after her doesn't it?" Homaru said tiredly.

"Yep." Koharu said. "Well this will be fun." She said sarcastically.

Akiha's POV

_They should be in sight in five, four, three, two... Yep I was right._

"Looks like she decided to interrupt the Summit, huh? That was kinda predictable." I sighed as I jumped out of the tree and landed in front of them.

"I don't trust you very much kid but we have no choice as you are the only one who knows where she went." Koharu said.

"Understandble." I said. "Different Village, etc., etc." I waved my hand. "It'll take a few days to get there though. But the fact that she used the Flying Thunder God Jutsu doesn't really aid her much. As it was he first time using it it'll tire her out greatly. In addition the Jinchuriki are much to far away for her to do it in one go. There are still several marked kunai scatter througout the world from the war so she'll wind up at the closest one. But by the time we get there she will have rested and moved onto the next. It should take her three extra stops before she gets there. So... We have three days to get to the Summit if we want to beat her there."

"How did-?"

"I know she used the Flying Thunder God Jutsu and know about the kunai?" I cut Homaru off. "Honestly... No idea." I smiled blankly as they gave me 'You have go to be kidding me' looks.

"Well, let's get moving! You elders better not slow me down." I said as I turned and started walking down the path.

Lady Satsuki's POV

A knock came on my door. "Yes?"

Kushina entered. "May I talk to you?"

"Or course child!" I said walking over to the young woman.

"I've been thinking..." Kushina rubbed her upper arm. "I don't wann complete the Transfere yet. I just want a few days with my son. No Meetings or anything like that. If that is alright..."

"Of course it's alright, child!" I was surprised by this. "It is your choice. Besides I think the others need a few days to let all of this sink in. A break would be good for them."

Kushina's face lit up. "Thank you Lady Satsuki!" She bowed before she left my room.

"They always ask for a few extra days don't they?" I muttered to myself.

Koharu's POV

It was almost difficult to keep up with Akiha. _I have got to get out more!_

"Alright here is good." Akiha said stopping.

_Thank you! _And judging by the looks on Jiraiya's and Homaru's faces they were thinking the same thing. _Good to know it's not just me!_

We sat around the fire that night Jiraiya and Homaru were asleep. Looks like Akiha and I were taking the first watch. Might as well see if I can get anything else out of her.

"So you really don't remember anything?" I asked.

Akiha's hair seemed like it was a blaze in the fire light. "Very little." She said sadly. "I want to remember but a part of me doesn't. I know I have living relatives but... I don't think I was on the best of terms with the head of my Clan... We used to be close but... Something..." She pinched her temple. "Something happened that caused a rift between us..."

"Sounds like your life wasn't easy." I couldn't help but feel some sympathy for her.

"No... It wasn't." Akiha looked up at the winter sky, blocking out most of the stars. "Winter... My mother loved it. I know that much. She loved the snow, the cold, she loved it all. My mother had hoped for a winter baby but I was born in Fall. I prefer Autumn anyways..." She laughed a bit.

"What?"

"It's nothing really. There's this one boy in my Oto family, about nine, he always asks me what I like to do for fun... But the thing is I can't remember!" I couldn't help but laugh with her. She shook her head. "Otogakure is a weird place. But I don't know why but I know it's more home than the one I grew up in was. I loved my old Village I know that but not to the degree I love Oto despite the short amount of time I've been there. The good Lord in heaven works in mysterious ways."

I stared at the starless sky as well. This is going to be an interesting trip.


	29. The Temple of Time: No Title yet

Kushina's POV

I sat up in bed looking around at the orange and red decorated room. I had three days. Three days to live, to be with my son. Three days until I was dead, until I was in my husband's arms again. If I had known I would only get an extra year with my son I would never have let Minato Seal away part of Kitsune in Naruto. I would have done a slow Transfer and enjoyed the twelve years of life I had left. I had ten months to live in all technicality but I just wanted to get it over with and why bother calling another Meeting? When we could just get it all done now.

Naruto was still asleep on the couch with Kitsune curled up on his stomach. I smiled at the site of the two of them. I dressed quickly and left the suite quietly. As I left I saw Kitsune lift his head slightly. I caught his eye. He knew I had delayed the Transfer. Even as I shut the door we didn't drop each others gaze.

I looked down the Hall. Nozomi's room was to the left, Fu's to the right and Killer Bee's directly across. I saw Nozomi's door open. Which was strange considering it was barely dawn. Nozomi stepped out of her room fully dressed, her hair neatly styled. As she stretched idly I noticed a few things.

One, she was fully awake. Which is odd considering she _hated_ getting up early but now she is up at dawn.

Two, she was stronger. Mentally and physically. From what I saw of her in the fight she was equal to Tsunade's physical strength now, before she could barely compare. Her stamina and speed had increased drastically. Her diversity of Ninjutsu has increased. Her medical prowess...

Three, She was... Different... Different than when I had seen her when she was thirteen. She stood tall, proud, confident. In her eyes was the same defiance there had always been but at the same time there was acceptance that there were superiors that she had to listen to. She seemed wiser than she had been before she died and came back. She was Minako's height, build, and most likely bra size. She wore her hair in a similar fashion that her mother did. She was more serious like Tsunade but in her own way. She spoke formally, she didn't let her temper get the better of her like she used to. She... She had grown up.

"Morning." I said unable to hold back a yawn.

Nozomi stretched again. "Good morning, Aunt Kushina."

"There is no Meeting today. W-"

"I know we are taking a break." Nozomi said patiently. _Well that hasn't changed at all. _"Most Jinchuriki who preform Transfers ask for a few more days. And it is completely understandable." She said as she walked over to me with Sumi at her heels. When she reached me she looked me in the eyes. "Is there something you wanted to talk to me about that we didn't touch base with last night?"

Her eyes bore a hole right into me. She smiled. "Come on." She gestured for me to follow.

We walked through one of the many gardens at the Temple.

"Nozomi..."

"Yes?" She asked calmly, most likely knowing my question already.

"What is... What is it like being dead?"

She smiled. "It's hard to explain." She sat down on a stone bench. "You feel nothing yet you do. You feel no pain but you can feel someones arms wrapped around you, the warmth, just them touching you but at the same time you don't..." She closed her eyes as Sumi jumped into her lap. "I don't expect you to understand that. I barely understand it myself and yet I was there experiencing it." She paused. "It's amazing to see those you love again, meeting people you would or could never meet if you were alive. But sad because you are not with those who are on Earth still that are precious to you. You have all the time in the universe yet you can never get bored. There's always a battle, be it Clan vs Clan. Or Village vs. Village. Boys vs Girls. Of course those are all in good fun and no one actually gets hurt and dies because well... You're already dead! But once you are at the equivalency of being dead you are transported out of the battle but can still watch. You can read a million books but there will always be at least a billion more to read. There's always music and people dancing. A game to play. Or you can just sleep for a few thousand years if you like."

"It sounds great..." It trully did but still I was... Uncertain...

"It is but I never got to enjoy the positives. I was training my rear end off the entire time. From Sensei to Sensei. All of them had their own methods and morals." She shook her head. "But it was worth it."

"How many did you have?" I asked.

"Depends on what you mean." She said stroking Sumi's head. "How many Sensei's I've had in the after life or while I was alive or both combined?"

"Combined i guess. For both..."

Nozomi took a deep breath. "My first Sensei in my life was Aunt Shizune. She got me started on Medical Ninjutsu. Then Grandma Tsunade also trained me in Medical Ninjustu. Grandpa Jiraiya taught me the art of Seals, he also taught me to write and write well. Then there is Inari Sensei. Then in the after life my mother trained me in Wind Style. Then I was sent to Toka Senju to enhance my Genjustu skills, as well as work on my Mirage... After Toka my father furthered me in Earth Style. I am pretty sure I still have water in my ears from when Tobirama trained me. My dress got singed several times with Hiruzen. Then Hashirama helped me master Wood Style. Lady Reiki made me a master of the Mirage and Medical Ninjutsu. My last Sensei in the after life was the Sage himself..." She paused and a sad smile crossed her face. "Not too many people know this... But I did have one more Sensei in my first life."

I raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Oroch trained me in my first life."

"What...?" My eyes widened. My heart stopped momentarily. I felt the breath stolen from my chest.

"Yes. It was only for a short time. About two weeks before I died he started training me. And..." Her smiled became sadder. "One time he accidentally called me by my mother's name..."

* * *

I AM BACK PEOPLE! AFTER A MONTH OF R&R I HOPE TO BE BACK UP TO FULL SPEED SOON!

WALF

FW


	30. The Temple of Time: No Title for now sry

Koharu's POV

Jiraiya and Homaru took over the watch after Akiha and I just got tired of waiting for them to do so on their own. I tried to sleep but couldn't. I sighed and rolled over to face the dying fire.

I saw Akiha wasn't sleeping, she was the farthest thing from asleep. Her gaze lost in the flames. I don't think I ever saw such sorrow in anyone's eyes. And I've seen a lot of sad people in my life.

Akiha got up out of her sleeping bag and glanced down at me. "I'm going to take a walk." With that she turned and walked into the forest.

Tsunade's POV

_God I had no idea how draining using the Flying Thunder God Jutsu was..._

Minato told me how draining it would be the first few times I used it, it would be Chakra and physically draining but this...

I had no idea where I was but one thing is for sure Kushina was too far away to do this in one go. Minato told me the basics but never really showed me how to do it.

I pulled the rusty kunai out of the ground. I felt a tear run down my face. _Minato..._

I had him taken from me in my first life twice and once in this life. I never wanted to give him up last time. I was forced to by the Clan Elders.

Flashback

I sat before my grandfather and several other Elders. I clutched my middle tightly, I felt scared, alone and lost as I gazed at them. They were all looking at me with disappointment, some disgust. Only one of them looked at me with pity, my grandmother Mito.

"Well, Tsunade... What do you plan on doing with that thing?" Nergui had always been bitter towards other people. More precisely mothers or expecting women as she was barren.

"I... Was... I was hoping to..." I couldn't finish what I wanted to say. I couldn't look up at the Elders but I couldn't look down for I would see the small bump that I was developing. So I tried to find a middle ground.

"What? Keep a bastard child?" Upton scoffed. He was every bit as bitter as Nergui. "Just who _is_ the father anyway?"

I didn't answer him. I couldn't tell them it was Jiraiya's. They'd probably kill him or worse...

"You don't even know do you, you little tramp?" Nergui snapped.

"I know who he is..." I said quietly. "He is the only one I've ever-"

"It doesn't matter." Nergui cut me off. "You won't be keeping that thing."

My breathing became shallow, my eyes widened with fear. "I won't let you kill it!" I screamed. "Why punish my baby for my mistake?"

"Who said anything about an abortion?" Upton asked. "We just said you won't be keeping it."

"You'll leave Konoha to birth the child. We'll say you left for training abroad. Once the bastard is born you may return but not with the child." My grandfather said.

"What-?"

"Leave it on a door step of an orphanage or something." Nergui said.

"But what if the child has one of our Kekkei Genkai?" My grandmother fired back. "What if a Shinobi from another Village finds him or her? Are you really going to risk that?"

All of the Elders looked at each other nervously. They obviously hadn't thought of that. A small bit of hope sparked inside me.

"And what do you suggest?" Granduncle Tobirama asked.

"At least let him grow up here." I begged. "I'll leave to birth my baby but just let him or her grow up in the Village their Clan founded. Please!"

The Elders glanced at each other.

"Very well." My Grandfather said at last.

End Flashback

I clutched the rusty kunai to my chest and closed my eyes. My five children... I could only save one. Three dead. One involved in an evil organization. One alive and at home safe and sound. Three grandchildren. One dead. One was MIA. One at home safe and sound.

I heard the bushes rustle behind me and out of automatic reaction I threw the kunai. I was so weak and shaky I didn't even throw it correctly.

"You should be careful with these." Akiha stepped out of the brush, leaned against a tree. The kunai was spinning around her finger. "Someone could get hurt, Hun." She gave a lazy flick of her finger and the kunai stuck into the ground at my feet.

"How did you-?"

"Find you?" Akiha blinked cutting me off. "Actually it was just luck. I was only going for a midnight stroll." She pushed herself off the tree lazily.

I kept my eyes on her every move as she approached me. The way she moved reminded me of a wolf. But at the same time somewhat... Snakelike... How Orochimaru moved in battle. How her moved period.

"You act like I'm going to attack you." She said shaking her head. She wasn't even an arm's length away from me. "And..." She said slowly. I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my side. "You're absolutely right..."

I scarcely heard her say that before everything went black.

* * *

**Author's Notes!**

Okay someone left me an annonimous review

LenaReader  
2010-09-12 . chapter 29

i love love LOVE the Nozomi have so much talent. Its really fun to see the story unfold so similarly to the original, but with so many creative twists. I started with Tsunade's choice and i haven't stopped since. Now, im waiting for the next chapter. How often do you publish the new parts? Once a week,or every couple days?

Okay LenaRead to answer your question I try to update every 1-3 days. I've been in a slump and this is the second time I've updated in a few months. And now I'm back and rearing to go! And thank you soooo much! I'm glad you enjoy the story! This chap is for you hun!

With Authorly Love,

Freewolf17


	31. The Temple of Time: NTY

Jiraiya's POV

I heard someone whistling, by the sound of it they were getting closer... From the North I'd say... From my vantage point in the trees I could see it was Akiha. It... It looked like she had something slung over her shoulder.

"Akiha's back!" I called to Koharu and Homura as I jumped from the tree.

"Yep!" She called from the brush. "And you'll never guess who I found!"

As she stepped out of the bushes I saw what, or _who_ rather, she had slung over her shoulder. _Tsunade- Hime!_

Akiha put Tsunade on her sleeping bag. I knelt down beside her. "What happened?"

"She'll be fine after a rest." Akiha said as she zipped Tsunade up.

"What happened?" I repeated, I have to admit I scared myself.

Akiha just sighed and shook her head as she stood up. "She probably would have attempted to kill me."

"YOU ATTACKED HER?" I lunged at her. _That little BITCH! HOW DARE SHE!_

She dodged me with ease as she literally kicked my butt. I hit a tree face first. Ouch...

"Anyone else care to take a swing?" I heard Akiha say before everything went black.

Kabuto's POV 

I was completely lost. Angel was great with Seals, me I was good but she was great. I can't even look at this project without feeling depressed. The Labs were utterly deserted apart from me. Karin, Ukon and the other Medics had gone to bed hours ago; Nami would have stayed up with me but she was away on some mission with Yukimaru and Akiha.

Why the Hell Lord Orochimaru would send those two on a mission with Akiha was beyond me. There is no denying Akiha was amazingly strong but we barely knew her. How could we know she could be trusted with two Jinchuriki? How can we know we can trust her with, Nami, one of My Angel's students? Or with Yukimaru, a boy My Angel would have considered a brother?

"Still here Four Eyes?"

"What do you want Guren?" We used to despise each other but we got along for My Angel's sake. And now we just got along out of habit I guess.

"Just seeing how it's going. Not one of you Medical Hermits will say a word."

"We're not hermits. We're just busy." I said tiredly. "And not too well. A complete mental block. We have no idea what to do next."

"I see..." Guren said. "Are you going to just give it up?"

"Of course not!" I snapped. "Nozomi _died_ for this. We won't give up."

"Good." Guren nodded. "But you all exhausting yourselves isn't helping either."

"What else can we do?" I asked.

Guren sighed. "I don't know. But I do know this is insane even by Otogakure's standards."

I hate it when this woman is right. We all know we're insane and sadistic but would we be Oto otherwise?

"She'd hate to see you like this you know..." Guren said as she leaned against the door way. "She knew and understood death..." _Why was she-_ "It's hard, I understand that. But she knows she'll see you again and you do too! So stop moping around and grow up!"

"You don't understand..." I said adjusting my glasses.

"Fine... Go ahead and mope." Guren said as she pushed off the door frame and turned to leave. "I didn't come here for you, you know. You and I both know we don't like each other that much and that we tolerated each other for Lady Angel's sake... But I know it's tearing her apart to see you like this."

Jiraiya's POV

"YOU LITTLE BITCH! I'LL KILL HER!" I awoke Tsunade's yell. Ordinarily I'd love to wake up to her voice... But the tone it was in... Well... I'm just glad It's not me she's yelling at.

I sat up groggily in my sleeping bag.

Tsunade- Hime lunged at Akiha, who dodged her with extreme ease. But Tsunade- Hime kept at it and so did Akiha. I think they did this for an easy ten minutes before Akiha got annoyed with this game. Akiha simply flicked Hime's forehead and sent her flying.

"She really could beat Tsunade if she tried..." Homura said.

"I didn't think anyone but Hime had that kind of strength..." I gulped. I knew what that felt like.

Akiha stood in front of Tsunade- Hime. "Are you cooled off now, Hun? Or do you still need to take a few swings. I won't move this time if it will make you feel any better." The red head stuck out her hand to help her up.

Hime slapped her hand away and tried to stand up on her own but her ankle gave way. Akiha caught her before she could hit the ground.

"Take it easy, Hun." Akiha said. "That ankle of yours is still recovering. To be honest I'm surprised you keep pushing it so hard. If it was one of your patients with a bad ankle you'd brake every other bone it their body to make sure their ankle healed right."

Tsunade looked at Akiha, she knew she was beat.

Kushina's POV

It had been two days since the talk Nozomi and I had. Today was the day before the Transfer... One last day... I better make it count...


	32. The Transfer: It's a Jinchuriki Thing

Kushina's POV

"Kushina... Kushina!"

"Go away you stupid fur ball!" I moaned shoving Kitsune off the bed.

"Kushina, get up!" I felt the covers being yanked off my body.

"Okay! Okay! I'm up..." I gave Kitsune a sleepy glare as he climbed up onto the king sized bed.

"Today's your last..." Kitsune said somberly.

"I know..."

"Naruto knows nothing of his heritage..."

"What do you-?"

"He doesn't even know we come from the Land of Whirlpools. I don't even think he _knows_ there ever was such a place."

"He would have learned about... It... In the... Academy..."

"Yeah..." Kitsune said. "He never paid attention... Well between that and cutting class... And sleeping..." Kitsune shook his head. "Anyway. I think we should take him to what remains of our old home."

"I almost hoped I'd never have to go back there..."

"I know how you feel and what you mean... But he has to know."

Tayuya's POV

"Hey! Kyana! Can I get-?"

"Sure..." Kyana cut me off. "In four years when you turn eighteen and can drink legally." One of the few elders in Oto said.

I muttered curses under my breath as the others laughed at my what must have been five thoughsandth attempt to try a sip of liquor.

"You might want to amp things up a few levels if you want to get one past 'Ole Kyana!" Kidomaru teased.

"Ah, shut the frick up!" I had cut back on my swearing considerably since Lady Nozomi... That and Megumi and Ayame were around so I couldn't swear anyway.

Both of them had been in a pretty sour mood since Akiha, Yukimaru and Nami left on a mission.

"Wonder what that mission is about?" Karin said as if reading my mind.

"It is weird that Lord Orochimaru would have both of our Jinchuriki go with someone we barely know on a mission with them..." Kimimaro said.

"Speaking of which..." Karin said quietly.

"Yeah?" Sakon said on edge.

"You all know about the Alliance of the Crescent Moon right?"

"Yes. Yes. We know of it." Sakon said impatiently.

"And that you and Lady Nozomi are and were apart of it." Ukon said with much more patience than his elder twin. "As well as yours and her old squad and Kin and Zaku."

"Well... A meeting was called about a week ago..." Karin bit her lip. "Can you guys keep a secret?"

"Sure." "Of course, Karin." "Just spit it out!"

"Well, I found out at the meeting that all of the Jinchuriki are not in their Villages." Karin said just loud enough for us to hear.

"WHAT?" Everyone else, including me, at our table exclaimed.

"_Shut up_" Karin hissed as she looked at the several heads that had turned. "Do you want everyone in the Lounge to know? Bakas."

I was ready to face-palm myself in my own stupidity. I glanced around the Lounge carefully. First, around the Balcony, then at the dance floor and many tables below. Everyone had gone back to playing cards, dancing, playing music or what ever they were talking about. I have to admit since Akiha showed up we broke out of our grieving phase. She was so much like Lady Nozomi it was scary.

"What the heck are you talking about?" Ayame asked quietly as we all leaned in.

"The Alliance meets in the Dream Realm once a month at least when called. Word is from the others that they are traveling to some sacred mountain for a meeting of their own. None of the Jinchuriki seemed to know _why_ they were called together but it must be big because some of them were acting weird before they left..."

"Weird how?" This was strange since Kabuto barely said a word since Lady Nozomi's death but yet there was no denying the interest in his voice. Although, his eyes remained dead.

"Well... Okay let's start with the Jinchuriki of Kumogakure. From what the nine members of the Alliance there said about Yugito and Killer Bee they were... Eager and edgy. Like they thought they knew something but were still unsure. Both left without the Raikage's approval but he didnt' stop them. Killer Bee rarely listens to his brother from what I've heard from my friends in Kumo but Yugito normally follows orders to a 'T'. But she just got up and left..."

"That is strange..." Jirobo said slowly as he slurped up some ramen.

"What about the other Jinchuriki?" Kabuto's interest was growing.

"My friends in Kiri said Utakata just got up and left, although he did say goodbye to them. After they returned from the Chunin Exams they became friends with him. But still he just left..." Karin's voice started to sound strange.

"What about Suna's Jinchuriki? Gaara I think his name is." Kidomaru asked.

"His brother, sister, friends and girlfriend said he got permission from Suna's Council before he left. But he didn't say anything to them about it besides 'It's a Jinchuriki thing' and then just left." Karin glanced around at us. To be honest I was ready to fall out of my seat.

"Just the fu- frick... On with it already!" I hissed in annoyance.

"Okay, okay." Karin said. "From there Gaara went and got Fu and Cho from Takigakure. Then the next that was seen of them was in Iwa. From what some members said they were there with Roshi, the Four Tailed Baboon's Jinchuriki. Fu, Gaara and Roshi recruited Han, the Five Tailed Dolphin- Horse's Jinchuriki. They also shut the Tsuchikage up pretty badly from they said too." Karin snickered. "Anyway from there the trail vanishes. Well, the Alliance members in Hoshigakure said they saw them and from what they said all of the Tails were present, apart from Nozomi and Sumi. But after that..." Karin shook her head.

"So they've all gathered... For what though?" Kotone asked.

"No one seems to know. All they know is that it's a Jinchuriki thing." Karin bit her lip. "None of you can breath a word of this. To anyone! If the other's found out I've spilt to none Alliance members I could be killed!"

"Like we'd let that happen." I said fiercly. I wasn't going to lose another friend. The others looked like they shared my feelings.

"Sasgay's coming this way." Karin said through her teeth.

We all turned and glared at the asshole was he approached. "Lord Orochimaru wants to see the Sound Six." With that he turned and walked away.

"Thanks Messenger Boy!" Sakon and Kidomaru called after him over the loud music.

Within seconds the music had stopped and nearly the entire Lounge was rolling with laughter.

"This better be good." I muttered through my laughter.

* * *

Dear Readers,

Sorry It's been so long since I updated. The Muses have been extremely cruel to me. Any way, when the chapter title has no title THAT MEANS I'D LIKE SOME SUGGESTIONS! Sorry but I am kinda clueless on some of them peoples! HELP! I'm begging yous!

wal

fw


	33. The Transfer: NTY

Akiha's POV

_Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP! _

_This... This pain... IT FEELS LIKE I'M BEING RIPED APART AND SET ON FIRE! STOP! STOP!_

Just as the pain had come, it stopped.

A voice came from the distance. The feminine voice started off as one, and several more joined.

"The time of the Villages has come..." They said in neutral voices, but yet... They seemed like one... "The Five Great Villages will be of Fire, Water, Earth, Wind and Lightning. The Quintuplets have feuded three times... Now they are to be joined by their little sister. She is of Energy, she is born only a matter of months before the war but is the strongest of the Six. The Fourth Feud will not be between the Six Siblings but against a jealous other, one that always cries from a red cloud and feels great sorrow. That war will be the last Great Feud between the Six Siblings for two millennium. It could be the last Feud for there will be no survivors or... The Brother of Fire, The Sister of Water, The Brother of Earth, Sister of Wind, and The Brother of Lightning will have the Keystone to their family. The Little Sister will keep the balance between them. But there are enemies that they know not exist..."

"Wait!" I called into the darkness. "What does that mean? Who are you?"

I was shaken awake.

"Akiha? Akiha?"

"Five more minutes... Just five more hours... It's a review day any ways..."

"Kid thinks she's back in her Academy days..." A woman said chuckling.

"Well, those days are long gone. WAKE UP!"

"Make me..." I growled sleepily.

"Okay. You asked for it."

The next second I was completely soaked and cold.

"WHAT THE HECK?" I bolted out of my sleeping bag shivering.

Much to my annoyance, their amusement, the old farts were rolling on the frozen ground laughing.

"Sadists..." I hissed but started laughing myself. "Okay that's a good one! I might have to try that sometime... I do owe Tayuya..." I mused.

"Lot of good that'll do when I'm right fricking here."

"Tayuya?" I called into the trees in surprise.

"Who were you expecting...?" Tayuya dropped out of the trees. "The God dam Easter Bunny?"

"No. But you would look cute with the-"

"Don't even fucking say it." She growled playfully.

"So I take it some of the others are here too?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yep." She motioned for the others to come forward.

Sakon, Ukon, Kidomaru, Jirobo and Kimimaro landed beside her.

"Good to see ya, Akiha." Jirobo said.

"We were almost worried about you." Sakon said in a sarcastic joking way.

"What is going on?" I turned to see Koharu and the other Elders in shock.

"Well, she hasn't sent word in a while. So, it's no wonder Lord Orochimaru sent us to check up on her." Kimimaro said shrugging.

"What are you doing with them?" Ukon asked. He wasn't being hostile, just curious.

"Long story." I rushed through the basics. I left out the Flying Thunder God Jutsu and the Transfer bit, though.

"Wow... You are a trouble magnet Akiha Senpai." Ukon said.

"I know. It can't be helped." I shrugged. "I guess it's fate's way of getting back at me."

"For what?" Koharu blinked in confusion. "And she's the same age as you."

"One, I _never_ lose a bet, card game, you name it. Two, I've been training as a Medic since I was what..." I struggled to remember. "Two or three... I think... I remember it _officially _began when I was five but I started early thanks to a relative... Not sure who though... I can't remember..." I tried just to shrug it off but I couldn't.

"That's rather early." Lady Tsunade said impressed.

"I showed promise at a young age so my relative trained me in secret until I was five then approached my head of Clan about starting my _official_ training early. She agreed rather eagerly might I add. Then a few months ago she tried to kill me." I said with sarcastic cheer.

"Why?" Homura asked.

"Ya go me." I shrugged. "Anyway we're not too far from our destination." I nodded to the Elders, then turned to the Sound Six. "And as for you guys, unless you have further orders from Lord Orochimaru, there's nothing else to report."

"Well, this is a rather interesting report." Ukon said with his hands behind his head.

"Should also get the Lounge in an uproar too." The corners of Sakon's mouth twitched.

"You can say that again." Kidomaru said grinning.

"Don't you two _dare_ go stretching the truth." I glared at them.

"What makes you think we'll do that?" Sakon glanced slyly at Kidomaru.

"Yeah, what would give you that idea?" Kidomaru replied.

"Because you two dumb asses _always_ do that!" Tayuya snapped.

"Ukon, keep those two in line for me, will ya?"

"With pleasure." Ukon nodded to me.

"Yeah, like I'm gonna be afraid of my _baby_ brother." Sakon sneered.

"Alright! Alright! I'm breaking this fight up before it starts!" I separated the two brothers before they could even get close to each other. "Honestly, you two should really learn to get along better." I put my hands on my hips.

"Ah, they've developed a rivalry since Lady Nozomi and Kabuto started training Ukon." Tayuya easily dismissed the brothers argument.

"Wow. Tayuya said a sentence without a curse. That's new!" Kidomaru keeled over laughing, clutching his stomach with all six of his arms.

"FUCKING BAKA!" Tayuya yelled punching him into the ground.

"KNOCK IT OFF!" I snapped grabbing Tayuya by the collar, dragging her away from Kidomaru.

"Oh, no you don't!" Jirobo forced all six of Kidomaru's arms behind his back.

"I take you are all in the same family unit?" Master Jiraiya asked.

"How can ya tell?" Ukon asked rubbing the back of his head embarrassed.

"Can't kill, no matter how much we want to at times." Kimimaro nodded his head. "Besides even if we did we'd be next."

"What do you mean?" Lady Tsunade asked.

"Well, if I were to kill Kidomaru like I so desperately want to right now, Sakon would probably try to kill me for it. Then, if one of us were to kill the other that would result in another person coming after the victor and slaying them." Tayuya had stopped struggling. "A never ending cycle. What's the point?"

I released Tayuya at these words.

"Well, I guess we'll see ya when you get back." Ukon said. With that the Sound Six took off.

I shook my head. "Bakas..."

"Yeah, that was weird..." Master Jiraiya said.

"No, not them. You guys. I can't believe none of you sensed them coming and that you didn't attack them." I rolled my eyes.

The Elders gave something of an annoyed glare.

"Anyways, we should be moving too." I leapt into a tree. "Let's go! We should be able to make it there before noon if we hurry!"

Sasuke's POV

_So, Akiha is with those old Konoha fools... _

"Eh, Sasuke... You alright, dude?"

"Yeah... Shunshuke, Calliope is still here reporting from Lady Daimyo right?"

"Yeah, dude, she's still here. Why?"

"I need a word with her..."

"Sasuke, dude, what are you thinking?" Shunshuke asked warningly. "If you're thinking about messing with her, dude, I would advise you not to. She's crazy strong and doesn't take kindly to anyone screwing with her."

"Just get me her."

"Fine. Whatever, dude." Shunshuke said as he avoided my activated Sharingan. With that he left.

"What do you want, brat?" Calliope asked when Shunshuke returned with her.

"I need a word with you about one of Orochimaru's new favorites... Her name is Akiha..."


	34. The Transfer: The Alliance Takes Action

**Authors Notes**

This chap is dedicated to Soraya the All Speaker. As the day this chapter is published it is/was her B-day! (Oct. 17th) HAPPY B-DAY HUN!

wal,

fw17

* * *

Shikamaya's POV

"Something bothering you?"

I looked up from the Shogi board at Shikamaru.

"Things have been unsettling here in Konoha in the few days that Koharu, Homura and my grandparents have been gone."

"I know what you mean... It's troublesome but I've noticed my dad's been a bit fidgety lately."

"I know... Mine too... As is my mom..." I sighed folding my arms in concentration. "Danzo, the old war rat, is up to something..."

"What makes you so sure it's Danzo?" Shikamaru asked as he moved a rook.

"It's been troublesome but, I've kept an eye on the council since I was little. Both Nozomi and I did actually. Danzo was always one for stirring up trouble... He's far too militant to be honest. Not happy unless there is trouble..."

"Kiba said his mom has been acting strangely like our dad's."

"I've had Hinata and Neji keep an eye on Hiashi... He's been known to side with Danzo on multiple occasions...

"Ino's said the same for her father as well..."

"Connection?"

"All of them are on the council."

"And most of them are loyal to my grandmother..."

"What has Hinata and Neji said about Hiashi?" Shikamaru asked.

"They haven't reported back yet." I reflecting over what we had discussed as I took his rook.

"I think we should call everyone together." Shikamaru said. "Stalemate."

"Hmm...?"

"Stalemate." Shikamaru said gesturing toward the board.

"Yeah... Right..." I sighed.

"When?"

"Now. We'll meet in the Senju Library."

"Now? Senju Library?"

"I know it's a drag but, I don't think we should worry the others about Konoha's troubles and this should be taken care of ASAP."

Shikamaru nodded. "Well, I guess I'd better get spreading the word, then." As he left I heard him mutter 'How troublesome.'

I sat at one of the tables at the back of the Library waiting for the others.

"Finally, it's been a drag waiting."

"Sorry," Shikamaru said rubbing the back of his head. "It took me a while to find Kiba."

"Whatever. Let's just get started." I replied as everyone took their seats at the table. "I'm not going to beat around the bush here. Danzo is up to something and almost all of our parents are acting strangely. I suspect he has blackmail up his sleeves for them."

"What?" Sakura said confused.

"Whose Danzo?" Tenten asked.

_Civilian born..._ I rolled my eyes sighing.

"Danzo is a man on Konoha Council." Neji said.

"I heard he is very cruel." Lee held up his fist, I could see the crescent moon painted on the bandages.

"He is very militant and has been causing trouble with other Villages since he got his hitai-ate. He is not happy unless there is war and struggle. Not only that but he'll do anything to gain power." Shikamaru supplied more detail.

"B-but he's a council member." Hinata said. "Th-that should be enough... Shouldn't it?"

"Unfortunately for us no." I said. "He wants more. The rank of Hokage, to be precise."

"Well, he can't have it!" Xia exclaimed. "That's Lady Tsunade's job!"

"I agree with you, Xia... But there are those on the council who aren't so sure about the Third's choice; Danzo being one of them." _This is a huge drag..._

"This would be a proper opportunity for Danzo... With Lady Hokage gone he can say she abandoned Konoha or something along those lines..." Shino said adjusting his shades.

I nodded. "I have a feeling he's going to do something like, or exactly that..."

"We should get Lady Tsunade back here at once!" Ino said. "I mean all we have to do is go and get her!"

I was ready to face palm myself.

"It's not that simple..." I said. "Finding them wouldn't be an easy thing."

"Well, how hard can it be? We were able to find Nozomi alright!" Ino exclaimed. "Oh, sorry..."

"Forget it." I said shaking my head.

"It wasn't easy finding her, eh Akamaru?" Kiba asked his pup who whined in agreement. "Nozomi's sent is everywhere in Konoha. Since she restored the forests all the trees actually smell like her. It was like findings a particular needle in a needle stack!"

"Well, we aren't looking for the same sent amongst itself." Choji said stuffing chips into his mouth.

"He's got a point." Sakura said.

_Why do I have a feeling a fight is going to break out?_ "Alright, first off we need to get Grandma Tsunade, Koharu and Homura back here ASAP. That means a tracker."

"I'll do it." Kiba said. "Right, Akamaru?"

Akamaru yipped his agreement.

"Neji go with him." I said.

"Why Neji? I am more than youthful enough to do this!" Lee exclaimed.

"Because I need someone to keep Kiba in line." I said. "And quite frankly Lee you don't fit that description. Having two hyper active Shinobi on this mission wouldn't be too ideal."

Lee looked pretty put out.

"Okay we need someone to keep an eye on Danzo..."

Lee perked up instantly. "Oh! Can I do this one please Shikamaya?"

"Fine. But you will need a few others to assist you there. Shikamaru, Sakura, and Hinata; you three are with Lee to keep an eye on Danzo."

"The rest of you keep an eye on the other council members. Neji, Kiba, Akamaru, I want a word with you before you leave. The rest of you... Dismissed."

I heard the scraping of chairs and the clatter of footsteps as everyone but Neji, Kiba and Akamaru left the Library.

"I suspect there might be others tracking Koharu, Homura and my Grandmother... Ordinarily I would send more people with you but sadly we cannot spare anyone... Be careful."

"Yes."

After they left I was alone with my thoughts. I covered my face with my hands.

_We are a bunch of stupid kids dealing with an experienced war mastermind who has a sub unit of ANBU, who technically do not exist, under his command. If I count only my numbers in Konoha, including myself, there are only twelve of us. And God only knows how many of them there are._

_How did you do this, Nozomi? _

"It wasn't easy."

"What the-?"

"You should know by now to not ask me questions. But this is the Dream Realm after all. And yes, you fell asleep. Actually, I'm not surprised. I fell asleep many times in the Senju Library and never noticed." Nozomi laughed and shook her head. She looked like she did the day she died, minus the hole in her chest and the blood.

I felt my heart plummet. "So... You're not real. Just a figment of my imagination."

"No." She smiled. "Do you honestly think all those dreams people have of their deceased loved ones is just made up? Actually my mother visited Grandma Tsunade a while back when I was still in Otogakure. I am really here."

I couldn't help but pull her into a bone crushing hug. "I'm so glad to see you again."

"I am too." We pulled apart slowly. "So what have you been up to? I really do not get much time to watch. Spirits pulling me this way and that way." She shook her head. "I am lucky I get to see my girls train every now and again."

"Not much, really. I visit your grave a lot."

"I know. I can hear."

"You can?"

"Yes, spirits do hear actually. And believe it or not we talk back even though _you_ can't hear _us_. It's kinda funny actually."

"Hmmm..."

"You're really scared aren't you." It wasn't a question she asked.

"I'm just a kid. I don't know how you did it. Having Konoha pretty much under your control. Practically overthrowing Lord Orochimaru. How can one kid-?"

Nozomi's laughter cut me off. "Sorry, I did not mean to laugh like that." She shook her head. "I never had Konohagakure under my control. I just never let anyone _tell _me what to do. In Otogakure... Well... I just gained respect quickly by being... Well, let us just say I was an ignorant child and nothing more."

I gawped at what she was saying. The Nozomi I knew would never had admitted to any of this. "You're different."

"Dying will change a person, Shikamaya." Nozomi sighed. "I am truly glad you and Grandma Tsunade are getting along. It was killing me more than I was too see it happen."

"Huh?"

"It is a Spirit expression. I do not expect you to understand it."

"Do all Spirits talk like this?"

"No. Not really." Nozomi giggled. "There is more troubling you than just what is currently happening. What is it?"

"You can probably still read my mind even though you're dead."

"I can, but that does not mean I wish to."

I sighed. "I've been thinking about when we fought for Sasuke and when you had to leave to save us..." I noticed Nozomi fidget uncomfortably. "And then when you showed us the memory of you easily taking down Tayuya... It... It just doesn't add up..."

Nozomi didn't answer.

"I mean... Look at our numbers... We had twelve Konoha Shinobi, three Suna Shinobi, one of them being a Jinchuriki, and Fu, also a Jinchuriki. Not to mention halfway through Yugito, _again another Jinchuriki_, not to mention that she is a _Jonin-_"

"Do not forget Yugito was on her way back from an S Rank mission." Nozomi interrupted nervously.

"But never the lesswith her giving you, Naruto, Fu and Gaara advice and telling you what to do... Not to mention that you four could have gone Tailed Mode, _and_ the Tails could have easily killed them... In addition we had a lot more to our numbers... Okay they had six Chunin Rank, a Genin Rank and probably a Jonin Rank but I was close to finding out how to beat the Crystal Style and I've figured it out now. We should have been able to kill the Chunin and Genin before Orochimaru showed up with the Crystal user ready to go down."

"First off..." Nozomi said dangerously. "Kabuto is Chunin possibly Jonin level... Also the Crystal user's name is Guren and was like a mother to me in Oto." I have never been afraid of my cousin but, her glare had me ready to run. Nozomi sighed in annoyance.

"A-anyway..." I swallowed. "We should have been able to win... Why didn't we? You shouldn't have had to sacrifice yourself like that. You wouldn't have had to go to Oto. You wouldn't have been hurt. You wouldn't have _died_."

Nozomi was no longer looking at me. "Shikamaya, before we go any farther-"

"Did you make it so we would lose? So you would have to go to Oto? So you would get hurt? SO YOU WOULD DIE?"

"Shikamaya..." Nozomi looked about as close to tears as I was. "You would not understand."

"How can I understand if you don't tell me anything?" I snapped. "You're keeping things from me... You _never _kept things from me..."

"You do not know how wrong you are, Shikamaya."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Okay for the record Nozomi really is talking to Shikamaya and she didn't just imagine Nozomi saying those things. Okay that's it. If you have any questions feel free to ask!

wal

fw17


	35. The Transfer: The Prophesy and The Rant

Shikamaya's POV

"W-what do you mean?" I wanted nothing more than to throw up right now. "Y-you never..."

"Shikamaya..." She placed her hands on my shoulders and as she did so a gold and green light surrounded her. I couldn't believe my eyes. She was about fifteen and wearing a pure white dress, her hair was to her knees... It was so strange seeing her like this, but somehow it suited her; the older appearance with her more mature and formal personality.

She sighed. "I did. I always have. Very much like my mother, I kept a lot of myself hidden from the world..."

"Like what?" Courage was forming from my confusion and anger.

She sighed as she tucked her bangs behind her ears. "I wish I could tell you everything... It will do me some good to confide and you do have the right to know... Most of it anyway and there are things you have the right to know but I cannot."

"Then tell me what you can." I demanded.

"Very well..." The scenery changed from the infinite darkness to a court yard. Nozomi sat down gracefully a bench. She gestured for me to sit down beside her, she didn't look at me as I did so. "To be honest I do not know where to start."

"Well, why does Sasuke hate you? I guess that would be a good place to start."

"That is not a simple question as you think." Nozomi sighed. "But very well, I did say I would tell what I am allowed to say... From the day I was born to the day I died I had visions of the future."

"Really? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I did not want to worry you."

"Worry me?"

"The Jikan No Mirage is the most terrible Kekkei Genkai anyone could have." Nozomi gripped her dress tightly.

"Mirage of Time?"

"It enables the possessor to see into the future, the past and see what is going on in other places at present."

"Blank Out..."

"Yes..." Nozomi nodded. "I have no control over when I can see into the future, I have some control over when I can see into the past and complete control over viewing the present. Reading another's mind, seeing their memories are amongst the other things I have some control over."

"And how is that terrible?"

Nozomi looked at me in disbelief. "It is horrible because so much of my life was ruined for me. I saw what I was going to get for Christmas when I was little. That ruined ever Christmas for me. I saw when and how most of our classmates are going to die. I saw I could never belong in Konohagakure. I saw one of my Genin die, leading to my death to prevent it. I have seen over a hundred different apocalypses. I am forced to the memories of anyone's eyes I meet. I see the terrible things they saw! It is only curse!"

"It sounds like it has it's draw backs but it has had its uses over the years."

"I shall put it to you this way, even Lord Orochimaru knows not to mess with it!"

"You still could have told me. I could have helped you."

"I did not want to burden you. No one knew of my powers. _I_ even was not sure of why I saw what I did until towards the end of my life."

"So what does this have to do with Sasuke hating you?"

Nozomi laughed sadly. "A few weeks before the Uchiha Massacre... I foresaw it... And I did nothing to stop it."

I was speechless.

"I saw no matter what I did nothing would stop it. I warned Sasuke not to go home that day and when the day came... He figured out that I knew and..."

"But he never showed any signs of-"

"He hid his hate well. Sasuke waited for the perfect time to strike, and he got what he had been craving for years. Revenge. His original plan was to kill me but he figured out for a female there is something worse than death."

"I see..." I glanced at her. "Nozomi."

"Yes?"

"Why did you have to go to Oto? We should have been able to win."

"I thought you had forgotten about that." Nozomi laughed sadly. "I am afraid that is one of the things I cannot tell you. In full detail anyway. I shall tell you this. I did interfere with that battle. When I healed their wounds I blocked their Chakra paths. I covered it by warning them that they were not completely healed so..."

"So no one noticed... You deceived us... All of us!"

"I had no choice."

"Why? Was it a vision that influenced your... Your..."

"Actions?" _I was going to say 'deception' _" No. It was something even more influential." Nozomi laughed forlornly.

"What?" _What could make her do something like betraying the Alliance?_

"I do not you think you would understand... Not yet anyway." Nozomi gave a genuine smile.

I didn't want to look at her. "We all made a promise to each other... Okay, so Neji still had some crap he had to sort out but he got over it... But.. You..." My breathing was getting heavier with each word.

"I did what I had to do. That is all I have ever done. Speaking of which..." Before I could even drink in what Nozomi had said she had struck me.

"Why...?" I couldn't move. Pain was searing through my body like it had when my Seal was activated.

"Shikamaya, I don't have much time now before you wake up. But please do listen to me. You are doing so well as head of the Alliance and when Naruto returns from his training he will take over as the head of Konoha's portion of the Alliance. BUT, you will still be the head of the entire Alliance. Naruto, Gaara, Natsumi, Sumaru... They will all answer to you. The Celestial Alliance shall push and pull the tides of the world. The Celestial Alliance will bring about a new dawn in our world. The Stars are numerous and follow the Moons, but all follow the Sun." Her voice faded but at the same time grew stronger as she spoke.

"What... What are you saying? Celestial Alliance? Who are they?"

"That is for you to find out on your own." Nozomi smiled as she faded. "I will speak with you again as soon as I can... Maybe by then you will have figured out the knowledge I have given you. One of the few visions that have not cursed me... And Shikamaya... Come in contact with your mother as soon as you can!"

Danzo's POV

_Tsunade's gone... Her two little stooge, traitorous friends have gone with her... Jiraiya, the Nine Tails and the annoying Senju brat have left for two years.. Kushina deserted. The eldest Senju brat dead... It is time for a strong leader to assume command..._

"Fu... Torune... Delay _Lady Hokage _and her traitorous right hands' return as long as you can... By taking them out of the picture for now, seizing control of Konoha will be a far easier task..."

_That pathetical Will... That wretched tree whose seed was planted by Hashirama has become weak and is taking the village down with it... The leaves of the new generations are what keeps the tree alive. But when the leaves are draught and the trunk is rotten the tree must be hewed down. I will rise and obliterate all weakness from the village..._

_Two of the Senju Brats are out of the picture, though one only temporarily... But the remaining... Shikamaya... That annoying little girl... No one ever would see such a lazy girl as a threat... _

_Nozomi was the ring leader; charismatic, unafraid to say what was on her mind, pretended to have no self-confidence to appear humble... Naruto gifted with the ability to inspire and to get people to follow him, to let him lead them... Shikamaya, she is and always by far the most dangerous of the three... Gifted with the Nara brilliance and with the deceiving lazy nature, by mere chance given the Senju ability to lead, observant of everything... No one could see it but she was the true leader of the Senju Brats..._

_Nozomi kept Naruto in line. But who kept Nozomi going? Who kept a closer eye on the Council? Who stayed mute and on the sidelines? Who learned by her cousins' trials and errors? Who was the most intelligent of the three? Who never lost her temper? WHO WAS CLEVER ENOUGH TO KEEP FROM EVERYONE'S WATCHFUL EYES?_

_Yes... She has always been the biggest pain in my side... Greater so than the prankster and brash Naruto. More so to the rash and intolerant Nozomi... The illusionary, intellectual, Shikamaya..._

_The Alliance of the Crescent Moon is the very contradictory of what a Shinobi should be... The Alliance of the Crescent Moon must not be allowed to push and pull the tides of this world... And to stop the Moon from shedding its light... You must first put out the bright Sun..._

General POV

How similar but at same time different are Root-ANBU and the Alliance of the Crescent Moon? Both are unofficial groups inside Konoha ruled by capable leaders but have different styles of headship. One is based on comrades and mutual understanding. The other in orders, blind faith and silence oaths. How can these to so very comparable but yet different organizations exist so closely without conflict? It is quite simple... They do not.


	36. The Transfer:Return to Land of Whirlpool

Kushina's POV

My eyes gazed upon what remained of the Land of Whirlpool. Only a small portion of the main island, Aoijima, remained.

"So, this is what remains of the once great Land of Whirlpools..." Kitsune commented sadly as my son and I dismounted.

"Whoa... What happened?" Naruto asked.

"What happened?" Kitsune scoffed. "Humans happened, that's what! Foolish... Arrogant... Power _flows_! It must not be forced! When forced it boils over to the point where it gets out of control! Power-!"

"Kitsune... I think you're confusing him." I cut Kitsune off in the middle of his rant. I had heard it all before. Humans take more than they should have, blah, blah, blah. Power is a life force all its own, yada, yada, yada. But he was right never the less.

"Okay..." Naruto stared at Kitsune and me. "Why are we here anyway? To just look at a bunch of stupid ruins?"

I whacked him upside his head in anger.

"What was that for?" Naruto whined holding his head.

"This is what remains of the Land of Whirlpool! Show some respect!" I snapped.

"The what?" Naruto blinked in confusion.

"Told you the runt never paid attention in school." Kitsune muttered.

I sighed in annoyance. "I was born here."

"Really?" Naruto looked around. "What a place to grow up."

"It didn't always look like this runt. It used to be quite a well off place at one time, actually..." Kitsune sounded like he was getting lost in memory. "But then-"

"Yes, Kitsune. I know. Humans got greedy." I sighed.

Naruto looked like he was having trouble comprehending.

_How in the world are we going to get him to understand something like this in less than twenty-four hours?_

"I think-"

"Kitsune if this is your 'Humans and Power' speech again-"

"I was going to say I think we should start small. With Shimakaze Isle for instance. Or what's left of it anyway..."

I nodded and we mounted Kitsune again. We raced through what was left of Uzushiogakure. From what I could see of the passing blur not even an eighth of Aoijima was left and a quarter of the Village was gone. We were through the steep hills and back onto open water again in less than ten seconds thanks to Kitsune's astounding speed. Before I could blink we were on Shimakaze Isle.

My heart fell to my feet as I saw all that remained of the Shimakaze Isle. The once towering archway was now a crumbled ruin. Most of Shimakaze Isle wasn't even there, just a few hills protruding out of shallow waters, the devastated homes that were once the size of small manors now resembled shacks.

"What... What is this place...?" Naruto asked.

"This is the old Uzumaki Compound." I said. "I was a little kid last time I was here."

"Wow... This is cool and all but..." Naruto looked up at me in confusion. "Why are you guys telling me all this and why are we here?"

"A proper man knows where he wants to go but also he must know where he comes from. You know where you want to go. To not only follow your in father's, grandmother's, great-great-grandfather' and great-great-granduncle's footsteps, but to also surpass them. To become the greatest Hokage ever but you must know what are your origins. To fully master the power provided by Kitsune you must obtain this. Listen to me Naruto, I will give you this knowledge. This is my gift to you and hopefully the most useful one."

It looked like things were finally starting to sink into his thick skull. I sighed.

_Kitsune, this was your idea so how's about a little help here? I have no idea where to start! The origin of the Clan? How we got stuck with a crabby fur ball like you? Help. Me. Out!_

_Fine- _Kitsune

"Come on. If I'm right the Sanctuary should still be intact."

"Sanctuary?" This confused even me.

Kitsune chuckled. "That's right. You were too young to remember." Kitsune flicked his tails as he walked away.

Naruto looked at me and we both shrugged.

_It seems Naruto's not the only one who is going to learn something today..._

"Man... Is there anything left in this place?" Naruto asked.

"If you were listening, Runt, you would have heard me say that the Sanctuary should still be intact. I'll be damned if it is in rubble. Considering where it is anyway."

"Where is it?" I pressed.

"Underground. Deep underground"

"Hey Fur Ball, notice what we're walking on?" Naruto asked annoyed

"Water."

"Right and what's left of the land here was never very high above sea level. Right?"

"Yep."

"So... How in the heck is this Sanctuary deep underground?" Naruto exclaimed.

Kitsune chuckled. "Runt, you really do have a lot to learn about not only your Clan but geography as well."

"Huh?"

"He means underwater caves." I told my thick headed son.

"Too bad you didn't get your mother and father's brains, Runt." Kitsune chuckled.

"Actually, I just remember playing in them before I moved to Konoha..." I rubbed the back of my head, blushing.

"Even so." Kitsune said.

"Wow, there must have been a lot of us." Naruto said looking around at the many devastated buildings.

"That there were, Runt." Kitsune said. "At the peak of their power they were the largest Clan in the world, but that soon changed."

"So... How many members are we talking about? That are left?" Naruto asked.

"I'm not exactly sure, Runt." Kitsune thought a moment. "There's Tsunade by her grandmother Mito, who was my Jinchuriki before your mother and you. You, Nozomi and your mother, obviously. About ten of them escaped to Shizuka Na Jikan No Yama. As far as I know that it all that have survived. Well, I'm pretty sure I met another one once but I'm not completely sure, don't even know it he's still alive." Kitsune shrugged as he disappeared into the brush.

"Uh... Kitsune?" I asked.

"Well, are you coming or not?" Kitsune poked his head out of the brush then darted back in.

"We have to climb down a fox hole?" Naruto exclaimed.

"Duh." Kitsune said as the tips of his tails disappeared into the hole.

Naruto and I followed him on our hands and knees only to realize that it was unnecessary. The fox hole had immediately opened into a large cavern.

"Cool.." Naruto's voice echoed around the cave.

"Come on." Kitsune's voice echoed as we squeezed down a narrow passageway.

"I never knew the caves were this big..." I whispered, amazingly my voice still reverberated off the cave walls.

"You have no idea." Kitsune's chuckle bounced off the walls in an eerie way.

Naruto and I gasped when the tight tunnel opened into an enormous grotto.

"Naruto... Kushina... Welcome to your Clan's most hallowed place. Welcome to the Sanctuary of the Whirling Tides."


	37. The Transfer: History

Kushina's POV

The glowing gemstone idols reflected the water and the water mirrored the gems. From the depths of the gently swirling water and eerie yet peaceful light gave the Sanctuary a mystical feel. Kitsune, my son and I seemed as iridescent as the statues in the enormous cavern.

I had no control over my body as I walked up to the crystal pool. "What is this place? I feel... I feel like I've been here before..."

"Yeah... So do I..." Naruto stood beside me.

"That is natural." Kitsune said. "This is where my past Transfers were done. My Jinchuriki are born here, they die here. In the very pool before you." Naruto stared at the pool. "Something the matter, Runt?"

"Why do there have to be Jinchuriki? I mean... Their lives are decided for them, that they will be hated, when they die, that they even become... It's not fair..."

Kitsune sighed. "Things weren't always like this, Runt. If you would have been born in one of the previous two millennia your life would be nothing like it is now. You would have been treated like any other kid. Well... Not exactly any other. Harder training and a lot more respect." Kitsune chuckled. "Those were the days... The lands were at peace... The people got a long. For the most part. There were a few quarrels and a few people trying to take over the world but that's what the Clans were for. They kept each other from getting to power hungry and killed those who were stirring up trouble for the world."

"What was the first Clan?" Naruto asked.

"Well, Runt, that is actually a good place to begin. The first Clan... Was the Senchiha Clan. Founded by the Sage and Healer. Two large wealthy families combined to make one with the union of man and woman. Nobuyuki and Lady Reiki trained their families in the ways of the True Shinobi."

"True Shinobi?" I asked.

"Yes. To lie your own life before the people of the land and say 'I am your protector. I am a life who has willingly chosen to take a path that could lead to my death. I will follow my heart and instincts to protect you. I will cooperate with other Clans to keep peace..." Kitsune paused.

"I will kill those who threaten you but not without trying to prevent bloodshed. Understand, sympathize, and care for your enemy. My kindness could one day be returned, but reject my compassion twice and your life will be the cost." Kitsune continued.

"To you, my Clan, the people and the Daimyo; I lay my life. I am a weapon with heart, mind, soul, dignity, honor, compassion, free will and strength."

"Wow... Is that what it means to be a True Shinobi?" Naruto asked gazing around at the statues.

"Back in the day... Yes. But any more a True Shinobi is nothing but a killing machine. People have lost sight of what is truly important. Good for nothing... Power hungry..."

"Kitsune..." I shot kunai at him with my eyes.

"Anyway..." Kitsune gulped. "The Senchiha's founded the ways of the Shinobi and taught other Clans, wealthy or poor, it did not matter. Some Clans had abilities others did not. Such as the Nara Clan could control shadows, the Gyokukokoro Clan could turn their chakra into priceless gems and crystals and the Korihana Clan can shape and create their own ice."

"And that woman, Guren..." I said slowly.

"She is one of the few survivors of the Gyokukokoro Clan, yes. Actually her the Gyokukokoro Clan and the Uzumaki Clan were close. As you can clearly see around you." Kitsune nodded to the statues around us.

"Cool..." Naruto grinned.

"Yes, it is." Kitsune said. "But we are getting somewhat off topic."

"Sorry..." I rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment.

Kitsune just shrugged. "The Uzumaki Clan was nearly wiped out by disease about three years after Lady Reiki's birth. With the Clan crumbling around them they had arranged a matrimony between her and the Senchiha heir."

"Looks like that worked out then!" Naruto said rather loudly as he folded his arms.

"Not necessarily, Runt..." Kitsune chuckled. "She was arranged to marry Nobuyuki's eldest brother, Naoki."

"So how did-?"

"Naoki died. No one knows how. So Reiki married Nobuyuki instead."

"Well, things worked out in the end I guess." I said.

Kitsune chuckled. "Lady Reiki _hated_ Nobuyuki. Their relationship growing up was Tsunade's and Jiraiya's to a whole new extreme. Again no one knows what changed her mind about him. Just glad she did." Kitsune shook his head for what seemed like the thousandth time today. "Anyway, the Uzumaki Clan was revived through the younger son of Hashirama the First. Ironically _his_ name was Naruto..."

"Really... How strange..." I eyed Kitsune up. "You and Sumi wouldn't have anything to do with that would you? Like saying the name to the Hokage Hashirama and Mito who then would have mentioned it to Jiraiya at some point?" I raised an eyebrow.

"We might have done something along those lines..." Kitsune chuckled. "I always did like that redhead... Much like our Naruto here." He nodded to my son, who was still processing everything.

"And Hashirama the First's eldest son..."

"Was the heir to the Senju branch, yes. The two brothers were always close, thus why the Uzumaki and Senju branch remained close throughout the millennia. The elder son got Sumi as she is my older sister and Naruto the First got me. Simple as that." Kitsune gazed around the Sanctuary with a peculiar expression. "That was about the time when we were split up come to think of it..."

"What do you mean? How could they split you up like that?" Naruto asked.

"It was a prophesy Lady Reiki had long before Nobuyuki died...

_'The Clan's shall leave the Valley they call home._

_They shall disperse amongst the known world,_

_Create cities that are meant to protect,_

_The Five Great Villages will be of Fire, Water, Earth, Wind and Lightning. _

_The Quintuplets shall feud three times before they are joined by their little sister._

_She is of Energy, _

_She is born only a matter of months before the war but is the strongest of the Six. _

_The Fourth Feud will not be between the Six Siblings but against a jealous other, one that always cries from a red cloud and feels great sorrow. _

_That war will be the last Great Feud between the Six Siblings for two millennium._

_It could be the last Feud for there will be no survivors or... _

_The Brother of Fire, The Sister of Water, The Brother of Earth, Sister of Wind, and The Brother of Lightning have the Keystone to their family. _

_The Little Sister will keep the balance between them. But there are enemies that they know not exist...'_

"The Little Sister of Energy..." I whispered. "Minako... She mentioned that once..."

"It doesn't surprise me. No one is supposed to know of the prophesy besides Jikans, Clan Heads and the Tails. But things like this tend to leak." Kitsune said. "My siblings and I were distributed amongst certain Clans as they scattered themselves across the continent. It was long time after the Great Migrations that the Villages were founded. The Clans had so much trust in Lady Reiki that they were all willing to leave The Valley of the Moon and Sun, their home. Just for the sake of some prophesy."

* * *

Okay! sorry it's been so long... FORGIVE ME! I AM NOT WORTHY OF YOU LOYAL READERS! *bawls* things haven't been flowing lately... sorry.. i'll update ASAP!

WAL

FW17


	38. The Transfer: The Uzumaki's Dark Secret

Kushina's POV

"The Clans gave up a lot..." Naruto muttered gazing around the cavern. "And for what? A stupid prophesy..."

"Naruto, it was something they were all willing to do." I said but I couldn't help but agree with him.

"But I thought you guys weren't split up until _after_ the Villages were formed." Naruto asked squinting.

Kitsune chuckled. "You are paying attention. Good. We only escorted the Clans to where they were heading, after they were all settled we returned to the Senju Clan. But after a while we all started to go on our little adventures, visit the Clans, you get the idea. After a while civilians became afraid of us so we had to remain with the Senju Clan at all times. But each of us had developed bonds with other Clans so Hashirama, the Hokage Hashirama, felt it was best to let us reside with them when the Villages were formed. He thought it would strengthen the relationships that had faded over the millennia."

"I don't get it..." Naruto said folding his arms. "If the Clans were so close to the Tails then why...?"

Kitsune shook his head. "Civilians, Runt. Civilians. After we had not returned for so long the civilians point of view had entered the Clans and the fact that my siblings and I were more than just monsters was forgotten. Everything fell apart... There is no other explanation. I know it does not make much sense but that's the way it is. Like it or not. The civilians were afraid of what they did not understand. So everything fell apart..."

Naruto and I were shocked into silence.

Kitsune sighed. "So let's see... We covered the origin of clan, the relationship with Senju, how I wound up in the possession with the Uzumaki Clan... What else...?"

"I think all that is left is what happened." I said sadly.

"Aaaaaahhh... There..." Kitsune muttered. "Greed. Simple as that."

"You keep saying greed and a bunch of stuff about power..." Naruto muttered. "What the heck do you mean by that you crazy fox! What were they so greedy about!"

Kitsune sighed reluctantly. "Raw Energy."

"You mean what Nozomi and the Sage use?" I asked.

"Yep. The Uzumaki's were fascinated about it ever since the Sage died. From the day of his death until the demise of the Clan they worked on it. They thought it had something to do with Sumi and the Seal the Sage used."

"Were they right?" I asked.

"Of course. That is Sumi's power, each of us has one. Sumi has Raw Energy, Kuro is Light, I'm Chakra, Shukaku is Sand, Cho is Wind and Acid... You get the idea. But there is a reason why my younger siblings, Kuro and I have had hundreds while Sumi has only had three Jinchuriki... That survived the Sealing anyway..."

"Survived?" I felt sick to my stomach as the single word left my lips.

"Raw Energy is extremely hard to control, if you do not know how to control it from birth the second Sumi is Sealed it kills the infant. Hashirama and Nozomi were the only ones to survive..."

"S-so how come no one besides the Senju and Uzumaki Clan knew about Sumi when she was successfully Sealed in Shodia Hokage? Sumi should have come to light when-"

Hashirama could control it to the point where it would not kill him but he just could not use it." Kitsune cut me off. "Nozomi could do both, but it did contribute to her multiple comas."

"In other words the Seal is not perfected yet, right?" Naruto guessed.

"No, Runt, it is not. But like I was saying Sumi's power is not easily controlled and used. Countless infants were killed before Sumi put her paw down and said enough. She had insisted long before then that the Sealings should cease but the Senju's insisted they keep trying. Over time they saw Sumi was right, it just was not worth it. And so Sumi faded into barely a memory, passed down from Clan Head to Clan Head throughout the generations. The Uzumaki's kept the secrete well but they did not respect Sumi's demand and never stopped researching and developing new Seals. Eventually they foraged one that would work, though it pretty much killed them all off just trying to figure it out. Risky work Seals are... Anyway, upon telling the Senju Clan Head what they had discovered they searched for twenty years before they found a suitable infant, one that could_ possibly_ handle Sumi's power. Thus, Sumi was Sealed into Hashirama, but he could not use her power without going feral. So the Uzumaki's developed another plan..."

"Another plan? What do you mean?" I was terrified now. Apparently Minako was not the only one with secrets, my Clan had them too...

"When Mito was born I was Sealed within her, I knew nothing of the Uzumaki's _plan _at the time, for me it was just another Transfer, another Jinchuriki. They chose Mito for two reasons. On, Mito's Chakra was special... It was strong but Mito, at _birth _could easily control such a Chakra. Two... She was female. You see... They wanted Sumi's power for themselves..."

"What...?" My stomach was whirling like the tides above the undersea caverns. Violently churning, just like my mind.

"Mito and Hashirama were arranged to be wed once Sumi and I were Sealed. Neither of them had a choice, luckily for Mito and Hashirama they were meant to be arranged marriage or not. But... Neither of them knew until they found out Mito was pregnant with Lady Tsunade's father. They were an arranged marriage because of Mito's immense Chakra control as well as the fact her Chakra was naturally special without me but with me added to the mix it was made even more so. And with Sumi Sealed within Hashirama they figured if a child could not be _naturally _born to control Sumi then they would _engineer _one to be so. Tsunade's father was an average Shinobi, nothing special, there was no way he could handle Sumi. Tsunade was highly considered but in the end they decided against it. Nawaki, the same was Tsunade. Minato and Minako... Hashirama was already slightly ashamed that they were born under the conditions that they were, although they were prime candidates. As Hashirama neared the end of his life he entrusted the knowledge of the plan to Minako, who guarded it with her life. With her Jikan she foresaw that her daughter could control and use Sumi's power but she also foresaw a premature death. Thus, an even more elaborate plan was designed."

"Kitsune... I'll take over from here..."

* * *

Okay! sorry it's been so long... FORGIVE ME! I AM NOT WORTHY OF YOU LOYAL READERS! *bawls* things haven't been flowing lately... sorry.. i'll update ASAP!

WAL

FW17


	39. Tagalongs for an S Rank!

Neji's POV

"Good luck." Shikamaya told Kiba and I in the dark streets. "I know this is asking a lot from both of you, to just up and leave your Clans in the dead of night like this."

"Our duty is to our Clans, and our Clans' loyalty should be to the Village." I reasoned, though in the back of my mind I was unsure of how this would play out with my uncle. I have a hunch this might result in the use of my Caged Bird Seal when I came back, unless Hinata and or Hanabi could convince him otherwise.

As we turned to leave I couldn't help but notice the dull look in Shikamaya's eyes. It was not the usual bored, dull Nara Clan look but a dull, confused and defeated look. It reminded me of Hinata a little bit, but not exactly the same. Hinata was just timid, afraid, and just plain lack of self-confidence. But Shikamaya on the other hand just looked afraid and seemed like she was doubting herself.

"Kiba..."

"Yeah?"

"One, keep your voice down. Two, have you noticed anything different about Shikamaya since yesterday?"

"Other than the fact that she seems a bit more worried than usual, not really. I mean, who isn't worried about what's going on? Why?"

"No reason." I said calmly causing Kiba to shrug in response.

"You do know we are being followed, right?" Kiba asked, for once keeping his voice down. I nodded. "Smells like Hyuga to me and Akamaru."

_I'm dead._

"Alright come on out." I said calmly despite the fact that I was having trouble controlling my heart rate.

"Yeah, we know you're there!" Kiba all but yelled.

But who stepped out from the alleyway could not have surprised me more.

"Hanabi? What are you doing here?"

"I got up to get some water when I saw you sneak out." She said clutching the strap of her backpack. She looked down for a moment before meeting our eyes in the moon light. "Why are you leaving in the dead of night like this? It's not a mission from Lady Tsunade, is it?"

"What's it to you pipsqueak? You haven't even graduated the Academy yet. So why don't you go home and play with your dolls?" Kiba taunted. _Bad move._

Hanabi moved like a flash as she attempted to strike Kiba. I grabbed her arm at the last second, leaving her shocked. "Ordinarily I'd let you do it Hanabi, but I need him for my mission."

With that Hanabi yanked her arm from my grasp. "Where are you going?"

"That is none of your business."

She squinted at us in annoyance. "You wouldn't want me to tell my dad would you?"

"Oooh... She got you there." Kiba taunted."

"And I'm sure your mother would be thrilled that you're sneaking out in the dead of night to go on some mission that was not given to you by you Clan or Hokage. It can't have been given to you by Lady Tsunade as she is AWAL." Hanabi's cunning eyes glowed like moon stones as she returned his taunt.

"Why I oughta...!" Kiba looked ready to lunge at my little cousin.

"Okay, knock it off you two." I said as I felt my eyebrow twitch in annoyance. "Look, Hanabi, this is really none of your business. So, why don't you just go home and go back to bed." I said turning to leave.

"I wanna know..."

"Look brat, we're not going to tell you what we're-"

"That's not what I meant!" Hanabi snapped, cutting Kiba off. "I wanna know why this club of yours is so important to you. Ever since Hinata joined, she's grown so much stronger in both strength and confidence. And you Neji... Well, you've just changed... If this club is important enough to you two that you would change so much then... I wanna know!"

I stared at my cousin as she gazed up at me with determination. "Very well..."

"Wh-what? Neji, Shikamaya will have our heads mounted to the wall-!"

"If she wants to learn, then why not? She's not lying about wanting to know." I cut off Kiba's panicky rant and turned to my youngest cousin. "If you cause any trouble for us you'll be going home by yourself and if we run into trouble you hide. Understood?" Hanabi nodded. "Alright then let's go."

Kiba and Akamaru's jaws were hanging open as we walked through the dark streets. Kiba kept muttering about how annoying it was going to be having a pipsqueak like Hanabi along.

"Don't forget you were like her not too long ago." I reminded him, being careful to keep my voice down as Hanabi was following behind us.

"Yeah, well... I get that she's your cousin and all but come on. This isn't a daycare center ya know."

"I know but the experience will be good for her. After all as far as we know this should be a fairly simple mission. Bring back the Lady Tsunade and two council members. Unless someone else is tailing them this shouldn't be too hard."

"And speaking of tailing..."

"I know." I sighed in annoyance. "Hanabi did you invite any of your classmates?" I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Maybe..." Hanabi said looked away.

"How many...?" I asked, barely keeping myself from face-palming.

"Just five..." She said as if it made a difference.

"Well, tell them to come out." I said tiredly.

I recognized three of the kids that stepped from the shadows or from behind concealing cloths. I knew the one was Konohamaru and the other two were always hanging around with him, but their names escape me. As for the other two kids I had no idea at as to who they were.

"Great! Now we got caught! You shouldn't have been breathing through your mouth Udon!" Konohamaru practically yelled.

"Well, I can't help it." Udon sniffed as some snot dripped from his nose.

The Academy students, Hanabi included, started pointing fingers at each other, blaming this person or that person for getting caught. One girl however, looked like she was trying to break things up but was having no success.

"What's your name?" I asked the pink hatted girl.

She pulled her eyes away from her fighting friends, gulping as she met my eyes. "Futaba." She gave a quick respectful bow. "I'm sorry we followed you... We just..."

"I understand." I said nodding. "But we are not a daycare center as Kiba said earlier." I said raising my voice, seeing to it that the feuding children heard me. They silenced their bickering as they gazed at us, looking ashamed. "Look, if it was only Hanabi that would be another story but-"

"You know why don't you take them with you?" The second we all looked up to the roof tops Shikamaya had already landed in front of us. "It would be good experience for all of you. After all they are the future Shinobi of Konohagakure and you both plan of being Senseis someday, correct?"

"How did you know that?" I asked flustered.

"Hinata might have mentioned it." She smirked as she motioned for me and Kiba to come into the alleyway with her.

Once in the darkness and seclusion of the alley Shikamaya became deadly serious. "Look, this is a really important issue that the Council is not bothering to do anything about. So-"

"Exactly." I said quietly, making sure we were not overheard. "So why are we going to have them tag along?"

Shikamaya sighed smiling. "They need to feel involved. And do not forget a few things. One, Konohamaru was the Third's grandson so things like this are important to him, more so than to many others. Two, like I said earlier it will be good experience for all of you. Three..." Shikamaya leaned so close to me out noses were barely touching. "Do _not._ Forget. _Who_. _You._ Are. Talking. To." Her glare was just as frightening as Nozomi's.

I nodded, struggling to guise my fear of the normally easy going girl. "Understood."

Shikamaya lead us out of the dark alley. "Alright, you kids are on board with this mission. Remember, this is not an official mission given by the Village Hidden in the Leaves but you are doing this on your own free will. We did not force you, you came willingly despite whatever the consequences maybe."

"We understand..." "You got it!" "You can count on us!" "Got it." "No problem!" Futaba just nodded.

"Alright then..." Shikamaya eyed us all up carefully. "We will run this like an ordinary mission. Three students to a teacher. Kiba, you take Moegi, Konohamaru and Udon. Neji you take Futaba, Koji and Hanabi. You Academy students are to treat Kiba and Neji like they are your Senseis."

"Like when we eventually graduate?" Futaba asked adjusting her hat as it had fallen over her brown eyes.

"That is correct. You will refer to them as Kiba and Neji Sensei. If they say jump you say 'How high?' If they tell you to run you run. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am." The six children saluted Shikamaya with a bow.

"Just one question." Koji asked.

"Yes?" Shikamaya raised a light blue eyebrow.

"Do we call Kiba's dog Sensei as well?"

I twitched my eye in annoyance. _Great. I got stuck with this kid?_

"As a matter of fact yes." Shikamaya smirked. "Your Senseis will fill you in on your mission once you are out of the Village. Any more questions, relevant or not?"

Futaba raised her hand shyly. "What rank would this be if it was an official mission?"

Shikamaya looked up to the glittering heavens in thought. "Well... Based on how important this mission is... I'd say S-rank. Anything else?" No one said a word as we all shook our heads. "Alright then... Dismissed."

The looks on the Academy students varied as we snuck out of the Village undetected. Fear, confidence, eagerness, calmness, determination and uncertainty lingered on all of their faces. I question Shikamaya's decision on letting these underlings accompany us on such an important mission but quite frankly like Lady Tsunade and Nozomi she scares me. Not that I let the two cousins know it.

But I still couldn't help but notice as we had turned to leave the authority Shikamaya had held in the presence of the children instantly left her and was replaced with confusion and pain.

"Alright, kids!" Kiba practically yelled once we had ran a few miles. "Here's the mission!"


	40. title needed

Neji's POV

"We should stop for the night."

"Why? We can cover a few more miles before dawn." Kiba objected, thankfully not too loudly.

"We can but not them." I gestured toward the six Academy students.

"We can keep g-" A huge yawn cut off Konohamaru.

"Konohamaru if we get too tired we will not be able to perform well on this mission." Futaba said rubbing her eye. "We need to stop."

"Right then. Let's set up camp." I said turning to the six exhausted students. "Where would be a good place to set up camp?"

The six children glanced at each other, I knew the looks on their faces quite well. 'I think I know the answer but I don't want to look stupid if I'm wrong' 'I know the answer but...'

Finally Futaba raised her hand slowly, I nodded to her encouragingly. "Somewhere with plenty of cover, won't get soaked if it rains, easy to survey the surrounding area..."

"That is correct." I nodded as she pulled her hat down over her eyes sheepishly.

Kiba wasn't about to be outdone by me in from of his students. "Can anyone find a good spot like that from where we are standing?"

Koji, Moegi, Konohamaru and Udon glanced around the surrounding region, while Hanabi had a 'you have got to be kidding me expression' and Futaba was looking down with her hat pulled over her face shyly.

Hanabi sighed in annoyance. "Where we are standing."

I fought back a smirk of pride, but Kiba still picked up on it. "We'll take the first watch. You kids get some sleep." I said.

"Yes." They chorused, jumping at the word.

"Don't get so smug, Neji." Kiba said grinning. "A squad is only as strong as the weakest member."

"If you think I'm going to let Koji fall behind you are sadly mistaken."

"Same goes for my three."

_This is getting even more interesting than I thought..._

All was quiet in the latest hours of the night or was it the earliest hours of the morning. It was too dark to tell. No matter how peaceful and calm things seemed there are many things that are keeping me on edge. The importance of this mission. The consequences I could receive from my uncle or from the Village Council for technically going AWOL. For not only allowing my youngest cousin to come but five other Academy students get involved. But what was bothering me most was where we were...

The route the Elders and the mysterious other had led us deep into the Land of Sound...

"Kiba... Do you sense someone...?"

"Yeah... I smell her..."

"Her?"

"Yeah she's wearing a perfume... Very nice one actually... Flowery but with a hint of morning dew..." I felt my eye twitch in annoyance before he got back into focus. "She's powerful, whoever she is... Without a doubt an Otogakure Kunoichi. We are on their land after all..." I nodded my agreement as Akamaru whined.

I nodded, activating my Byakugan. I due to her immense Chakra I found Kunoichi very easily. But... She wasn't even traveling toward us... She was just... Standing there looking extremely bored...

"So...?" Kiba asked pointedly.

"She's definitely powerful, the Chakra emitting from her is stronger that the one that the Crystal User gave off..."

"Her name is Guren, you brat. Get it right." The instant the feminine voice hit my ears the scenery changed from the forest to infinite blackness.

"Neji Sensei, what's going on?" Futaba's frightened voice came from somewhere in the darkness.

"Sensei?" The voice came again. At that moment we were returned to the forest scene.

_Is this a Genjutsu still? She's stronger than I thought if she can fool my Byakugan._

"Are you not a little young to be Senseis?" I whipped around to strike whomever she was with the Gentle Fist. Time seemed to stand still as she easily grabbed my wrist.

I raised my eyes to meet hers but I found myself unable to linger on them. My eyes traveled over her face, drinking in every detail. Her dark eyes showed boredom yet were somewhat intrigued. The woman's graying brown hair flowed like waves in an ocean as it was gently pushed by the winter breeze. Her face was weathered from a long life as a Kunoichi though she only looked about middle age. Her lips parted to speak but instead she kicked her leg back to pin Kiba up against a tree behind her.

"AKAMARU GET THE KI-"

"There is no need for that." The woman spoke placing her geta-ed foot back on the ground but did not loosen her grip on my wrist. She bent down to inspect my hand, my left hand. "I see... Alliance members, huh? Well... That makes somewhat sense." She chuckled letting go of my hand. "What are you brats doing here anyway? Lady Nozomi is dead, so you have no reason to be here. Unless you are here to see Karin, which I doubt as if you needed to get some word to her you would pass it off to one of the Kusa members then they would relay it to her when she 'checked in' with Kusagakure. Unless of course, this is an emergency. Or perhaps this has nothing to do with the Alliance in which case I would have to kill you or capture you, possibly both. But this does not seem to be the case. So... What _are_ you brats doing here?"

"What's it to you, you old hag?" Kiba asked much too loudly. _Here we go._

"Old hag, huh" The woman scoffed. "Well, I guess I can see how you would get that." The fact that this woman did not take offense to Kiba's comment nearly made me drop my jaw in shock. "For a Kunoichi I have been cursed yet blessed with a long life of forty-seven years... Completely understandable."

"Most woman would not admit to their age..." I said carefully, this woman had the posture of regality, further intriguing my curiosity of her, but I did not forget she is technically an enemy Shinobi.

"Age is wisdom and experience, brat. Why would I be ashamed of it?" A smirk grew upon the Kunoichi's face. "Which apparently you lack. I expected more from the son of Hizashi Hyuga."

Again this woman made me feel a spark of intrigue, but a flash of anger pulsed through me. "My father... You-"

The smirk on her face grew but there was some warmth to it. "Yes, I fought him. Gave me a hell of a fight too. Ended in a draw actually... Quite honestly I do not even know why we fought... Quite strange indeed that I would meet his son how many years later." She bent down to my eye level. "Very strange..."

This woman intrigued me to no end and was quite tempted to let my guard down and trust her for no apparent reason.

"And do not worry about the little brats. I won't hurt them if I do not have to."

"I thought all Otogakure Ninja liked to torture people." Kiba said massaging his sore stomach where she had kicked him.

"Not all of us are like that. Besides, I have a few students of my own. I know what it's like." She said placing her hands on her hips. I noted the shamisen she carried on her back; remembering Tayuya using her flute as a weapon lead me to believe that the instrument was just that. A weapon. "Now I repeat. Why. Are. You brats. On Oto Land?" Her dark eyes lost what little warmth they held and was replaced with a blazing pyre as she reached for her Shamisen. "And it better be good because I have somewhere I would like to be."


	41. Calliope!

Neji's POV

The graying-haired woman's eyes burned into my soul like dark flames. I couldn't show that I was afraid of her. Despite the fact that her grip on her Shamisen was growing tighter as the silence grew longer.

I was too petrified of this woman to open my mouth, her immense Chakra seemed to paralyze me. Or perhaps it was the way she carried herself, plenty of pride but not overly prideful, perfect posture, authority poured from every pore in her body... Truly formidable...

"You are lucky I have a set of students about your age or else my patience might have worn by now.." She sighed in aggravation. "Unless you are here to harm my Village, my comrades or the people of my Land I shall not harm you brats." Before I could blink she had Kiba and I pinned to a tree and Akamaru beneath her geta sandal. "Why _are_ you _here_?"

Kiba and I exchanged glances as our air supply was being depleted. Our mission had _nothing_ to do with Otogakure but the trail we were following lead us right through their Land. Suppose that slipped somehow? Suppose one of the kids let it slip that Lady Tsunade was not in Konoha? Suppose Oto attacked again?

"It has nothing to do with Oto." Kiba finally chocked out.

Her eyes seemed to scan the very depths of our conscious and subconscious as I found my face starting to turn blue. "Well, alright then..." She let us go slowly and carefully removed her foot from Akamaru's body. She sighed yet again in annoyance. "Why didn't you brats just say so in the first place?" She raised an eyebrow at us and put her hands on her hips. "Do I have to keep repeating myself or will you just tell me?"

Kiba and I exchanged uneasy glances between ourselves and Futaba. Whom was the only student awake, the others had fallen asleep long before we were caught in Genjutsu and were still sleeping soundly. "What do you think?" I muttered to Kiba.

"Well, Akamaru seems to like her." Kiba pointed at his Ninken who was pawing at the Sound Kunoichi's leg.

She bent down and scratched the pups head. "You've got a good one here." She complimented. "He's going to get a lot bigger, probably large enough for a full grown man to ride on... Most Inuzuka Ninken are..."

"How do you know so much about our Clans?" I asked, my suspicion and uneasiness was returning.

"I've fought a lot of people from a lot of Villages and Clans over the years, brat." She said sitting down by the fire, her back to us. "You tend to pick up a few things. Not to mention the fact that the founder of Oto _was_ from Konoha after all. Also, I _am _from the Original Oto Era."

"Original Oto Era?" Futaba asked pulling her hat over her ears.

"Hm." The woman nodded, warming her hands by the fire. "There are three main Eras of my Village; Original, Dark and Angel. You may as well sit down, no use you brats standing and getting pneumonia."

The three of us sat down cautiously opposite to her. The fire light seemed to cast troubled shadows across her aged and tired face as she gazed into yet beyond the flames. I noted that Akamaru curled up comfortably in her lap and yawned.

"Cute..." She muttered stroking the dog's head. "Well, you asked brat so I'll tell. As I said there are three Eras. Original Oto was when things were just starting out. Heck, Oto was pretty much founded when Lord Orochimaru was still loyal to Konohagakure." She glanced at our shocked expressions and smirked. "Yes, you should be fully aware that there was a time when Lord Orochimaru would have died a thousand times over for Konoha. You should know that if you paid attention in school. Anyway, I am from the Original Era. I was about ten at the time, making Lord Orochimaru about fifteen, if I am not mistaken... Actually... I was one of the first he took in..." A small smile was etched on her weathered face.

"Took in?" Futaba asked intrigued.

"Yeah... You see Otogakure was, and still pretty much is, a giant orphanage. It started with me and about seventeen other children, ages varying from fourteen to infancy. All of us have our sobby-sad-stories about how we were abandoned or how our parents died or how we ran away, you get the basic idea. It was a rather large group of us trying to survive, unfortunately most of us were too young and or weak to work so we were all slowly starving to death. Then along come this boy not much older than Kyana, the eldest of our group, we tried to steal from him. We were desperate, one of ours was dying... We had no idea who he was or that he was even a Shinobi. But when we tried ambush him one of us collapsed from hunger. Back then Lord Orochimaru was nothing like he is now. He... He saved all of our lives..."

This was completely contradicting how I had always pictured Lord Orochimaru, him not heartless?

"He took on extra, high paying, dangerous missions to help feed us. He is an orphan himself, you see, so he knew what it was like to be all alone in the world. He taught us ninjutsu, how to basically survive. According to him he would have killed us, but for some reason that he could not explain at the time he didn't. In the end I guess it paid off for most of us... But one day... He just... snapped..."

"You mean took a one way trip to strange, delusion and psychotic land?" Kiba asked grinning in the fire light.

"Well, that's one way to put it I guess." She chuckled. "He still looked after us but he started coming less and less as time went on. But by that time we could look after ourselves and our numbers had grown from approximately twenty to nearly a hundred. We took in more and more kids as we were able to, not to mention the ones we were having ourselves. We were a family back then. Then one day he came to us and told us we were going to be a real Hidden Village. Naturally we were all overjoyed. But... Once we became Oto the Dark Era really started..." I noticed her wipe a tear from her eye. "If you don't mind the Dark Era is nothing easy for any of us to discuss. But when you think of Oto... That's the Dark Era..."

"What about the Angel Era?" We all turned to see the Academy students were wide awake, it was Hanabi who had spoken.

The older Kunoichi smiled._ Why had she released them from the Genjutsu?_ "We are in it now. Lady Angel, Lady Nozomi... She brought us out of it and we are trying to stay in it and not plunge back into a Second Dark Era..." She returned her gaze to the depths of the pyre. "Now back to our original topic. What the heck are you brats doing in my country? Judging by the fact that there are two Hyugas and an Inuzuka and as both Clans are highly apt at tracking..." She said, sweeping her gaze around the campsite. "It leads me to believe you are searching for someone."

The students, Kiba and I just stared blankly at her, not wanting to give anything away.

She burst out laughing. "If you brats think I cannot figure something like that out with ease you are sadly mistaken. I have more experience than most of you will ever have. I'm not going to pry about who you are tracking so long as it has _nothing _to do with my country."

"You're different..." Hanabi said.

"Oh? How so?" The woman asked.

"You talk about comrades and country and Village. While most other Otogakure Shinobi only care about Lord Orochimaru." Hanabi said a matter of factly.

"Very observant. Most of us from the Original Era are like that, well what's left of us anyway. Most of the Village are starting to think like that as well. Slowly but surely they are starting to realize Lord Orochimaru is only human. Many still look at him like a God, heck I even saw him that way at some point, all of us do. Even Lady Angel herself..."

"I don't believe you!" Konohamaru yelled. "Nozomi-"

"One, show some respect and call her by her appropriate title brat!" Anger filled her onyx eyes were a blaze with fury.

Konohamaru looked ready to wet himself under this woman's spiteful glare. "L-Lady Nozomi..." He glanced at her to make sure he had said it right this time. The Kunoichi nodded, the scorching rage had left her eyes as quickly as it came. "Lady Nozomi would never look at an evil man like that!" Konohamaru said gaining confidence again.

She sighed sadly. "Two, yes she did. I'm not clear on the details but he held the answers to something she desperately craved when no could or would tell her. As she told me in sign language 'he was the preacher who held the sole copy of the bible that she so franticly craved.'"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Udon asked.

"To be honest with you, I have no idea. All I know is what she told me. Well, I'm turning in for the night. I may or may not be here when you wake up." She said getting up. "And don't worry, I do not stoop so low as to kill children. Unlike some people of virtually every Village I _do_ have morals."

"Wait a minute!" Koji called out to her.

"What is it brat?" She did not even look at him as she lay out her sleeping bag over the thick snow.

"What's your name?"

She turned her head slowly in our direction. She stared at us for quite some time before her lips parted to answer. "Calliope, Goddess of Heroic Poetry."


	42. Death Syndrome!

Neji's POV

The first thing that greeted my open eyes was the cold sting of the winter  
winds. The morning light was blinding as it reflected off the snow on the forest  
floor. The mouthwatering aroma of frying bacon filled the air seemed to have  
awakened the rest of my teammates and their stomachs.

"Morning, brats. Did you sleep well?" Calliope's voice came over the wind.  
"Winter's in The Land of Rice Fields can be bitter cold huh?"

"You can say that again." Konohamaru said through his chattering teeth as he  
wrapped his long scarf around his head.

Calliope smiled. "You just get used to them, being as far north as we are. I  
have lived here all my life so this is nothing to me."

"I-I feel bad for you." Udon stuttered from the chill in the air.

"Why? I have not ever seen a white Christmas that was not white. From what Orochimaru has told us  
you Konoha's rarely ever see one." Calliope's laugh froze like the icicles on  
the branches. She slowly shifted her eyes around the clearing and sighed.  
"Funny..."

"What?" I asked, ready to activate my Byakugan.

"Nothing, never mind." Calliope said turning back to the burning bacon. "You  
kids should get out of this country as fast as you can. Not every Oto Shinobi  
will roll out the welcome mat like I have. In fact, most of my people would have  
killed you on sight."

"Why?" Koji asked blinking away tears that the cold had brought forth.

Calliope sighed. "Well, our Villages are not exactly on great terms now are  
they? First Otogakure invades Konohagakure. Then, Nozomi leaves Konoha for Oto,  
whatever the circumstances may have been. Next, she willingly chose to stay  
even when she had the chance to leave. Also, your Hokage killed Lady Angel. A  
lot of my people want the blood of Konoha for that." She raised her graying  
eyebrows waiting for an answer.

Futaba pulled her hat over her eyes and spoke, "Why?"

"That is a pretty broad question, brat. Be specific."

"Why did Otogakure invade Konoha in the first place? None of this would be  
happening if your Village had just left us alone."

"Humph. I like this brat..." Calliope muttered looking at Futaba out of the  
corner of her eye as she dished out the slightly burnt bacon. "Honestly I have  
no idea. Orders are orders and that is that." Calliope shrugged.

"There must have been some reason." Futaba pressed as she bit into some bacon.

Calliope hesitated. "Well, this is just a theory floating around so I have no  
idea if that is true." She paused as if she was afraid to speak of it. She  
sighed and continued. "Word is around Oto that Orochimaru went there for a few  
reasons. One reason is that he wanted Sasuke, now that is true. Now, this one  
here is just a theory but, others say he went there for Lady Nozomi herself and Sasuke was just a bonus. Not vice versa."

"What?" We all asked simultaneously, except Hanabi who almost chocked on her bacon.

"You heard me right. It is logical if you think about it." Calliope tossed some  
of the more burnt bacon to Akamaru. "Granddaughter of his two former teammates,  
daughter of two of his former students, niece of his Godson, and I am fairly  
certain he knew she was a Jinchuriki. At first glance no one would dream Nozomi  
would go with Orochimaru willingly, but he had something whatever it was that  
she wanted." Calliope glanced around nervously. "Look, I have told you kids  
enough that I could be killed for saying anything. So, you brats best get out of  
her as soon as you finish. Heck, I could be killed for not taking you brats to  
the nearest base right away or for not killing you on the spot."

"So, why didn't you?" I asked.

"Sometimes there are no reasons." She said carefully. "Look, just finish eating  
so you can pack up and I can escort you to the border, so I can get back to  
what I was doing and go home."

Kiba and I glanced at each other while the Academy students looked like they  
were getting whiplash from looking from Kiba, to Calliope, then to me, back to  
Kiba.

"Where are you kids heading anyway? You were on some kind of mission." Calliope  
said melting some snow, to clean the dishes no doubt.

None of us answered, none of us were sure we should answer.

"Look, you brats either tell me where you are going or I will escort your little  
Genin butts back to Konoha where you belong!"

"We cannot tell you that." I said firmly. I knew it would be futile to fight  
her, she would slaughter us like lambs but we could not divulge what was going  
on.

Calliope sighed in annoyance. "Look, I really do not want to kill you brats."  
She actually did appear sorry as she reached for her shamisen. Then a small  
glimmer of hope sparked in her eyes. "Does this have to do with the Alliance of  
the Crescent Moon?" The desperation in her voice was clear; she honestly did not  
wish to harm us.

"Yes." Kiba said, for the first time in his life I think, quietly.

"Thank God..." Calliope breathed a sigh of relief as her hand fell back to her  
side.

"What just happened?" Moegi asked confused.

"You mean you brats do not know?" Calliope asked. "Being in the Alliance is like  
a get out of jail free card in Otogakure. Lady Nozomi and Karin can get away  
with bloody murder because of it."

"Why?" Futaba asked.

"You got me there, brat." Calliope shrugged. "Virtually anything to do with Lady  
Nozomi will get out of trouble with nearly any Otogakure Shinobi. And as for the  
Alliance, well we just do not mess with it."

"How did you know Karin checks in with Kusa?" Futaba asked pulling her hat away  
from her eyes.

Calliope smirked. "Lady Nozomi told me. Don't you worry about Karin, Orochimaru  
thinks she spies for him, the moron." Calliope scoffed. "Orochimaru is a  
brilliant man and normally knows when something is up. But Lady Angel was able to  
pull the wool over his eyes and twist his arm if she wanted something. Now, enough getting sidetracked.  
Where are you heading?" She narrowed her obsidian eyes. "Anything you tell me  
will not be given to Orochimaru or anyone else, I swear on my students'  
lives."

Kiba and I nodded to each other. "We're following a trail."

"Okay then." Calliope said matter-of-factly as she got up. "That will do. Now  
just point me in the direction the trail leads and once it goes beyond the  
border I will leave you and act like nothing happened."

Kiba pointed toward the North-North-West.

"Well, alright then. Heading for Hoshigakure?" Calliope asked as we packed up camp.

"What would make you say that?" I asked carefully?

"Well, Hoshi is in that direction. And there is really nothing in the neighboring Land that is of any importance to Konohagakure." Calliope shrugged as she rolled up her bed mat. "It is the simple process of elimination."

We traveled in silence for a few hours, the entire time Calliope seemed on edge. This Kunoichi intrigued me highly. Although she had explained why, she was just so different that many other Shinobi from many lands I have met or heard of.

"You've left your guard down." Calliope said mildly.

A moment of panic struck me, though I did not reveal it to the others. She was right, basic rule of being a Shinobi; never let your guard down, no matter what.

Calliope smirked. "Don't try to sweat it too much, brat. It happens to the best ever now and then. Besides you are still learning."

"That's not much of an excuse." I said trying to hide my self-anger.

Calliope laughed. "You are a serious one aren't you? None of you are talkers are you?"

"Heh, normally I cannot shut Kiba up. Konohamaru and Koji are normally hyper, but they are unusually subdued."

"Being on important missions normally do that." Calliope said. "When something of great importance is bestowed upon a person they become serious and quiet. A type of pride and self-worth fills their veins and courses through their bodies. And normally the younger you are when these things happen the more the syndrome affects you."

"Syndrome?" I asked puzzled.

"Yeah, in Oto we call it, Death Syndrome." Calliope's words filled my veins with ice. My body went numb and the very tips of my hair felt cold.

"Death Syndrome?" I asked barely able to keep a tremor out of my voice.

"It is not as bad as it sounds, really." Calliope said calmly.

"It's not?" Kiba spoke for the first time since breakfast. His voice was slightly hoarse.

"Well, yes and no." Calliope sighed. "We call it Death Syndrome because on missions where people are stricken with it normally die. It normally occurs when Genin experience their first life or death fight, or when someone goes on their first A or S-rank Mission. All of which have a high probability of death. Hence the name, Death Syndrome, quite simple really."

The six Academy Students were exchanging nervous glances amongst each other. It seems Calliope was right, they were experiencing Death Syndrome. I have been on a few important missions before but none with this heavy of a matter before. I guess we all were suffering from it.

"Well I'll be dammed." Calliope said chuckling.

"What?" Futaba asked curiously.

"Either we are tracking the same person or the one I'm tracking is traveling with your target. Or should I say target_s_. Whichever it is."

"You never mentioned you were tracking someone." I said carefully. One wrong word or move with this woman and my teammates and I would be dead before we hit the ground.

"You didn't ask." Calliope said simply. "But since you brought it up I will say. I'm not on an official mission actually. This is just something I heard about and want to see if it is true."

"Heard about what?" Hanabi asked, speaking for the first time today.

"Just one of Orochimaru's new favorites, is all. Now, unless you are tracking her, than it means nothing to you." Calliope said dismissively.

"We told you before this has nothing to do with your Village." Udon said sniffling.

"Well, alright then." Calliope said. "To be honest I just noticed that we were following the same trail." Calliope said laughing.

"You're not much of a tracker are you?" Koji asked snickering.

"Better than you are, brat!" Calliope snapped. "You are right, though. I'm not much of a tracker, never have been, never will be." Calliope sighed in defeat.

Then everything seemed to happen at once in slow motion. Akamaru barked a warning bark. Calliope's pupils dilated in fear. Hanabi and I activated our Byakugan to see what was going on. Moegi screamed. Udon and Koji drew kunai. Futaba pulled out a multitude of throwing stars. Konohamaru froze in terror.

Suddenly, everything went black for a few moments and time resumed its normal flow. Udon, Koji and Futaba stood immobilized in a pose where they had their weapons over their heads, ready to be thrown. Hanabi and I stood in identical stances. Kiba and Akamaru looked like they were about to do a Fang Over Fang. But all of us were shocked by what we saw. Death Syndrome had us in it's icy grasp.

Calliope stood weakly before Konohamaru, blood seeping out of her chest. The aged Kunoichi fell to her knees, coughing up blood as she pulled them from her breast, sternum and abdomen. "Heh, guess we all let our guard down." She tried to laugh but only coughed up more blood.

"Who's there?" Kiba called.

"K-Kiba… They're Konoha!" Hanabi said frightened. I had never heard her afraid before, I had never seen her tremble in my life.

"You kids remember what we told you before you left? If we said for you to run, you would run? Well, I'm telling you now to run!"

"But-!"

"NOW!" Kiba and I cut off their protests. "GO!"

"You Academy brats better listen to him." Calliope said stumbling slightly as she stood up. "Cowards these two maybe, you Academy brats are no match for them." She said huskily as she pulled a kunai from her stomach. She looked back at us. "Well, go on and get out of here. Your Senseis and I can handle them."

Hanabi raced forward, grabbed Konohamaru by the wrist, and fled with the other children hot on her heals. _We never should have brought them along. This whole thing was a mistake!_

_

* * *

_

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Or Hanika, or Kuanza. And if you are Aithiest then have a nice day.

Okay I know it has been a while but Lazy Syndrome and School Syndrome has kicked in. I'm trying to get out of it now. ^^ Hope you enjoyed it! This chapter was posted at 11:37 Eastern Time, December 24, 2010, Christmas Eve

wal

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	43. No Title Yet

Shikamaya's POV

I just stared at the ceiling, not thinking for once in my life. Nothing was going as I had anticipated. I was always one step ahead of everything. Despite the fact that Nozomi could read minds and see memories, I could always predict how she would act fairly accurately. But now she had thrown something my way that I never could even _fathom _could have happened.

_How could she just do that? Why…? What could corrupt her so much that she would leave willingly? What did she mean that one day I would understand? Nothing could make me understand why she did what she did. She could have cost us all our lives. What single thing could corrupt her mind so?_

_Huh… So much for not thinking about anything… Is that even possible…? For someone… Anyone… To not think? Nozomi could do it. She had to, to Blank Out… But I… I cannot imagine anything _not _going through my mind… _It has always been a bee hive of activity for as long as I can remember… My father called it the Nara Clan Curse.

We were lazy because we used all our energy to keep our minds going. We are cursed to eternally think. To never have a moments rest no matter how much we slept. Our imagination, our logic, our intuition was always going at full force. No stopping it. No taking a moment to just forget…

Our memories are impeccable. We rarely forget anything. Debts we owe or others owe us. The precious first steps or first words our cursed children take or say. Many of us remember every word we hear. Others remember every face in perfect detail, even if we just look at for a fraction of a second. Once we've been somewhere once we never get lost because we remember. An eternal curse to know, to remember, to understand… My father says that is why we control shadow. Because the shadows of our pasts never leave us. I guess our ancestors figured, 'If we cannot control what shadows we can remember… Well, then maybe we can control the shadows at current, to change the shadows of what we will reminisce.'

_But this one thing… I just cannot grasp… Is why…_

A knock on my bedroom door mad me jump out of my thoughts. "Enter."

"Well, you certainly have gotten used to authority," My father's voice was followed by a yawn.

"Oh, hi Dad…" I said distractedly as my eyes drifted to the origami butterflies and birds that hung from the ceiling of my room.

My father lay down on my bed next to me. "They're really good," He commented mildly as his black eyes followed my gaze. "Much better than you first origami attempt, the rose looked more like a snowball than a flower," A lazy grin plastered his face before I hit him with a plushie. "Hey!"

I couldn't help but giggle at his exclamation momentarily. Though, it was not enough to keep a smile on my face for long.

"What's the troublesome thing that's bothering you?" My Dad asked finally cutting to the chase as he brought his hands behind his head.

"It's nothing," I lied lamely. I never could lie to my Father well. For one he was too smart and always saw through them when even my Mother couldn't.

"Well, if you're sure it's nothing…" My Dad said, his gaze resting on my face. "Your mother's worried about you, you know."

"Well, tell her I'm fine," I said turning my gaze to the wall with a Princess Gale poster taking up half of it.

"It must be a huge weight on you shoulders leading so many kids from all over the world," My Dad said mildly. "I could never do it that's for sure. When your aunt Minako and you mother would hang around with those girls from other Villages your uncles and I stayed out of it. More trouble than it was worth we thought," An impish grin crossed his face. "Although, some of those girls were quite the lookers. If- Hey!"

Again I hit him with the deer plushie. "What about Mom!" I asked playfully annoyed.

"I was going to say _if_ it weren't for your mother. Actually, at first the only reason Shikaku and I hung around with your uncle Minato was so I could get close to your mother. Hey! Don't forget who gave you her!"

This must have been the thousandth time I've hit him with that plushie since he gave it to me when I was five. "It's not easy… Until Naruto comes back not only am I in charge of Alliance but also the Konoha branch. It's a total drag! It's hard to be fair to the other Villages when I am a Konoha Kunoichi! It's hard to know what to and what not to tell the other Villages! And if so how _much_ do I tell them! Say if Konoha was going to invade another Village. Should I warn them? I would be branded a traitor for it! But at the same time this is the kind of thing that the Alliance is about! Stopping international incidences before they get out of hand! Keeping the relationships strong so others won't die! From the opposing Shinobi to the innocent by standing civilians!" By this time I was sitting upright on my bed, my breathing labored. "I… I just don't know what to do anymore…" I would not allow the tears to roll down my cheeks when I felt my father pull me down to his chest.

"With great power comes great responsibility and even greater pain," My Father said rubbing his thumb on my shoulder as I listened to the steady beat of his heart.

"It was easier just being an advisor. True it was hard, but it was easier…" I mumbled.

My Father nodded understandingly. "You're stronger than you think. Just stop doubting yourself like your cousin did and you'll be fine."

I stiffened at the mention of Nozomi. My entire body went cold, as if I was thrown into ice water, goose bumps rose on my skin. _I still do not understand… Will… Will I ever?_


	44. Calliope's Might!

Neji's POV

I watched Hanabi and the other Academy students retreat as they were told through my Byakugan, making sure they were a safe distance away before I made any kind of move. Kiba and Akamaru crouched down ready to perform Fang Over Fang at a moment's notice. Calliope struggled to stay standing as she twisted her shamisen by its strap so it faced front. I took my own fighting stance, Gentle Fist at ready. The two slowly stepped from the brush; I could pick out basics with their appearance to guess what Clan they belonged to. One had long, pale blond hair, a typical Yamanaka trait. The other was clad in black; his eyes were not visible as customary with Aburame.

"Well, if it isn't Danzo's little toy soldiers," Calliope scoffed. "Blank faces, cold hearts and emotionless thoughts. What kind of Shinobi is that?"

"Says the woman from Otogakure," The Yamanaka said perfectly exemplifying Calliope's taunt.

"Heh, I'd explain things to you but I already explained it to the brats and I really do not feel like repeating myself," Calliope said a smirk growing on her face. "Besides, I do not go as far as to attack children before they strike first. A disgusting act by any standards…" Even weakened by her multiple puncture wounds, bleeding heavily and could barely stand she still managed to hold her superior ambiance.

"This matter is of no concern to you. Why don't you just leave and let us handle the children of our own Village," The Yamanaka continued, as if Calliope had said nothing about her not stooping so low as to attack children. Though she did put us in a Genjutsu before we made a move, but she did not lay a hand on us until we made the first move.

"You attack a child that makes it my business," Calliope hissed. "But if you are still going to argue with that reason then try this one. The brats may _not _be of the Land of Sound but we are _on_ my Daimyo's land which _does_ make this my business. As I found them and volunteered to escort them out that makes me responsible for them and their well being so long as they are on my Daimyo's land. Furthermore if someone should, let's say kidnap the brats while they are in the Land of Sound, it would make it my responsibility to retrieve them even if they were taken beyond the Land of Sound's borders." Calliope's expression was one of a thousand words; cunning, superiority, smugness, triumph, determination and perhaps blood lust were just to name a few.

"Who are you to think yourself so high and mighty that you can do something like that without your Village leader's consent?" The Aburame asked, if I could see his face my guess that he was squinting at her could be confirmed.

"FANG OVER FANG!" Kiba attacked without waiting for any kind of signal, the Aburame and Yamanaka barely got out to the way in time. Kiba and Akamaru stood in the crater that was sadly not the Aburame and Yamanaka.

Calliope moved with surprising speed toward the Aburame, with just a few plucks of the strings of her shamisen she sent him flying into the underbrush. She dove in after him, hand seals flying faster than I could read. Seconds after she vanished into the undergrowth it erupted into flames causing the Aburame to flee from the bushes and back into the clearing, rolling on the snow to extinguish the blaze that was burning him alive.

_Where did she go? Is she alright?_

"It seems she chose to abandon you children after all," The Aburame stated coldly. "I suppose she was all talk. Still I wonder why she acted like she was so important that she could act so arroga-" A low, plucking music note sounded through the air sending the Bug user across the clearing and halfway through a tree.

Calliope walked out the burning undergrowth unsigned, her shamisen's neck in one hand and the pick in the other. "I am Calliope, Goddess of Heroic Poetry, Elder on the High Council of Otogakure, and Head of the Daimyo's Personal Guard," Calliope stated proudly as she attempted to stand tall but the bleeding was heavy and most likely making her somewhat light headed. "I have somewhere I need to be so we'll make this as quick for me and as painful for you as possible," A sadistic look flashed on the woman's face as she said those last words.

_Council? Personal Guard? If she is head of the Daimyo's Guard then why would she be out here? Shouldn't she be at her post?_

"You are so weak from all the blood you've lost in such short of time. You could not _protect _them if you tried. Whatever your status maybe you would only be a hindrance. Why don't you just forget you ever saw these brats, walk away?" The Aburame inquired, pulling himself from the tree's gaping hole.

Calliope was on the other side of the clearing and had the Aburame by the throat before I could blink.

"What good will giving up do?" Calliope asked as she coughed up blood on his face. "What… What would it be teaching these kids? How to quite? How to roll over and surrender? No…" Calliope said hoarsely as she struggled to stay standing. "No. I will not be an example of that! I have never given up before and I am too old to start doing it now! I live to teach! That is all I have ever lived for!"

Her grip tightened on his throat, what little I could see of his face was turning blue. "I have nine students, I have taught three successfully, and soon I will have nothing left to teach three others but… But the last trio I just got I have barely begun to share the knowledge I possess with them! I will not die before I can pass on what I know! What I have learned from these eight Konoha Shinobi…" Calliope allowed a weak smile to cross her face before she continued. "I will live up to my Nindo. Live, learn and pass on. Never quite for then you will be unable to live, and if you do not live than you cannot learn, and if you learn no more, you have no more to pass on. What will I be passing onto these boys if I just lie down and die or walk away?" Calliope threw him back into the clearing and plucked a few notes on her stringed weapon.

Deep scores appeared on the Aburame, his shirt, gloves and mask were practically shreds. He gasped in pain as the cuts continued to grow deeper until the notes faded. The Aburame struggled to stand from his on substantial loss of blood and deep wounds.

"Now we're even," Calliope smirked then grew serious. "But that does _not_ mean for a minute that we're done!" Before I could make a move to assist her she had already rushed over to him and kicked him into the air. Leaping up after him, she swung her shamisen onto her back and began beating on him with a melee of kicks and punches. With a final kick she sent him spiraling to the Earth with such force that he was embedded several feet into the ground.

_Is it-?_

Out of nowhere a cascade of water crashed down on the Aburame, under the force fissures formed in the snow and frozen terrain, the cracks stopping just centimeters from me. The cyan dragon turned scarlet as the Aburame's blood fused with it. The millions of water droplets the great water reptile had dispersed into hung in the air ominously; the natural bitter cold of Oto winters froze them as it, simultaneously freezing me.

Landing on the ground with fluid grace, she plucked a single string of her shamisen making the beads of ice to tremble in the air. High pitched notes resonated in the air from the glittering beads to such a frequency it was actually painful. While my hands were clutching my ears trying to block out the sound Calliope seemed to actually being enjoying this.

"It has been a long time since I was able to perform this Jutsu." Calliope mused over the echoing frequencies. "Oto Winter Water Style, Frozen Tears Resonance…" Calliope's whisper miraculously carried over the vibrations. "There is another movement to this Jutsu? Would you like to hear it?" An evil grin spread across her face as she plucked a single string on her weapon.

For a moment nothing had changed, the earsplitting ringing still sounded just as loud as before. Then a crackling noise came over the piercing tinkling note, the frozen beads were forming into spiked orbs the size of pinheads.

"I'll give you a moment to attack before I kill you, Aburame. I am not unreasonable, I shall give you a chance to defend yourself." Any form of hatred or resentment in her eyes faded as she spoke these words. Calliope stared at the weak man who was lying in the crater, unmoving, pity seemed to cross her face as she slowly moved her fingers into the proper positions. "Very well, Aburame. It is you funeral…"

Suddenly her face went blank and Calliope relinquished her grip on the shamisen. She stood slowly from the crouching position she was in and turned to me, an odd expression grew on her face. "Well, boy it seems you forgot about me."

_The Yamanaka! What happened to the others? Did he… HANABI!_


	45. Goddess' Revelation!

Neji's POV

Birds took off in every direction from fright. The Aburame on the ground stirred, awoken from the earsplitting scream that echoed around the forest. The spiked ice balls shattered and with it the ringing ceased, but this provided little comfort. Though I had never heard her scream before I knew who it belonged to. _HANABI! HANABI! _Her name repeated itself louder and louder in my head as it faded in the forest. I wanted to rush to her aid but my body would not comply, frozen by something other than the bitter air.

"Get…Out… OF MY HEAD!" Calliope's infuriated shout sounded just as Hanabi's horrible scream had faded. My eyes were returned to Calliope, her hands were on her head ready to rip out her hair as she thrashed where she stood. Sweat appeared for the first time on the Goddess' forehead since the battle began as she pulled a kunai out from her sleeve. Boiling blood splattered onto my face and the already pink snow. The glinting kunai knife stuck out of her upper arm; the life sustaining liquid spurted from the fresh wound as her knees gave way.

"Dam it… Hit an artery…" She cursed as she reached for the scroll tied to her waist. Her hands trembled as she worked it out of her golden sash, now with streaks of scarlet, and fumbled to open it. After several failed attempts she just dropped it in defeat. "Shit… I can't end like this… I can't die because of some sorry excuse for human beings… I can't…" She rasped as her body completely gave out, face first into the snow.

Words could not and would not leave my mouth even though my brain commanded them to do so. My body would not comply to the numerous commands it was given. I wanted to tell her that she would not die here, not like this. I wanted to go over to her and stop the gush of blood. I wanted to rush to my cousin's aid. My friend's aid. But what my body did do was the one I did not want it to ever do in the line of battle. Cry.

Hot tears slid down my cheeks, dripped into the snow. All that was left of them in the end were the small holes it left in the snow. Useless. The only good they did was remind me I was alive and not a stone statue that watched a battle it could not par take in. This feeling was entirely new to me; I had always been the one fighting not frozen like Lee would on a rare occasion. Like in our first real battle. Was this how he felt? Eyes widened in terror as a comrade fought for not only their own life but yours as well. Heart locked in between beats. Feet stationary in mid-run. Your conscious was seeing everything from a third person's, frame by frame, view.

A twig snapped not ten feet behind me. I still would not and could not move. The Chakra signature was strong and a stranger to me. Not hostile. Cam and gentle, like a waves that lapped on the shore of a lake. Curious yet slightly cold… A voice that perfectly matched the atmosphere the Chakra gave off sounded cool and clear. "Oh, dear… Sensei did it again didn't she…?" That was the last thing I heard other than the delicate crunch of the soft, cold snow.

Screams so horrible they could only belong to my cousin echoed around the walls of my mind. The wordless shrieks soon developed into unrecognizable syllables; gradually they turned into a single word repeated. _Neji… Neji. Neji! NEJI!_

I could have sworn I had opened my eyes but all I saw was pitch black. "Good, you're awake…" A warm, moist rag was placed on my forehead as the monotonicallyfeminine voice spoke from somewhere close in the darkness. I cannot explain it but somehow it gave a form of comfort.

"Where am I?" Slowly my senses returned to me, one at a time. I could feel I was lying on something soft, most likely a downy mattress. The same floral perfume Calliope wore hung in the air ever so slightly, like a delicate morning haze. My mouth had the same foul taste as it normally did when I first woke up every day of my life. My sight was the only sense that did not return. "Why is it so dark?"

"You are in my room lying on my bed. I don't need light to see so I have very little reason to ever turn on my light or draw back the curtains. Furthermore, it is midnight and we are on the north side of the palace," The monotone voice replied somewhere to my left, farther away than the last time she had spoken.

Light filled the room just as slowly as I sat up; from absolute darkness, to barely able to make out any outlines of objects. Then they began to take form into book shelves both tall and short, pillows neatly strewn on the floor, desks lining the wall orderly littered with papers and more volumes. Everything was barely lit when the woman spoke again, "That is as far as it goes. I normally have no need for it to be any brighter. Though, I might use the candles on occasion if I need the extra light," She said, thus my gazed drifted to the intricate iron candle holders bolted to the wall that held crimson candles that looked like they had been used many times, deformed and bubbled.

A dark wooded armoire stood near the matching desk against the wall to my right. The wall to across from the bed was lined with two crammed bookshelves that towered over the desk squished in between them. A number of tall gothic style cabinets seemed to glow to my right in the dim light as the candles were lit. The dark marble floor seemed to be some sort of dark fire in the light of the soft fires.

"I'm sorry it could not be brighter. I do not get too many visitors to my room. I… I normally prefer to keep to myself when I can. Keep up with my studies and such, you see." An apologetic tone barely penetrated the humdrum barricade. For the first time I found my eyes resting on the owner of the voice. Dark hair up in a strange sort of twin bun, one right on top of the other, held in place by a tasseled needle. A veil made it impossible to make out even the slightest shape or detail of her face. The white wave on the bottom of her cascading cape seemed like it was about to crash over the black sea of smooth marble. A black whip was attached to a thin belt that made it impossible to tell whether she was wearing a fishnet dress or a mesh shirt and skirt, with a white pair of shorts beneath it.

My mind seemed to draw a blank when the reality of everything came crashing down like the Water Dragon Calliope had controlled. The mission. The Aburame and Yamanaka. The kids fleeing on command. Calliope's brutal wounds. Hanabi's bloodcurdling screams. My cowardice. Falling face first into the snow. Now this.

"You were not a coward," The woman spoke, empathy was tinged her voice just as apology had a few moments ago. I blinked slowly as my eyes followed her around the room while she lit the candles, one by one. The scent of warm vanilla mingled with the perfume, making me dazed and drowsy once more. "Calliope Sensei does that quite often," She continued as I slowly began to drift off. "A Genjutsu. She developed it when I was just starting out. Didn't want us getting hurt, you see. Sleep. You are safe here," I barely heard what she said before I fell back and allowed my eyes to close. The instant they shut Hanabi's screeches filled my ears jolting me awake once more.

"My… My cousin… Hanabi…!" I leapt out of the soft four poster bed and nearly slipped on the cool marble floor. My shadow flickered beside me as the candles did above me, making the door seem like it was farther than it truly was. A sudden crack filled the air and reverberated around the room, a sharp pain hit my wrist as leather bound itself around it like a snake. A sickening _smack_ rang around the room, a result from my head hitting the floor.

I never heard the click of her heeled boots on the smooth floor, for one moment she was on the other side of the room, the next she was standing over me. As she loomed over me I saw behind her veil, though I wish I hadn't. The instant she noticed I had done so she took a few stumbling steps backwards; her whip slipped from her pale hands and fell to the floor with a dull _thud_. "I… I'm sorry you… I…" She touched her face behind her veil and looked away. With a quick shake of her head she recomposed herself; quickly she scooped up her whip before she strode across the room toward the door. No light flooded the room as she pulled the large dark wood door open, "Follow me, please…"

I heaved myself off the floor as I watched her leave and her flickering shadow disappear when she rounded the doorframe. The aching pain on the back of my head faded as I complied to her… Was it a request or an order? She said it with so little emotion I had no idea whether or not it was a suggestion or demand. I stepped out into the lightless hall, my arms extended before me to feel my way around. A warm, soft hand took hold of my wrist and tugged me along through the seemingly endless corridor.

Some long cloth kept brushing against my legs that I assumed was the enigmatic, black haired woman's cape. Never once did I bump into a corner as we rounded them or into any other object that surely lined the walls for decoration's sake. Finally I swallowed and got enough grip on the situation to speak but before I could she spoke.

"You wanted to see your cousin right?" The woman's voice held a light touch of questioning, though it was almost undetectable just like the other few times she had spoken. Just as she said this we turned yet another corner and were greeted by dim candle light. I was immediately reminded of the dozens of candles that she had left burning in the bedroom. "Don't worry about my room. It will not catch fire. There are glass coverings surrounding the candles," It suddenly struck me how she knew what I was going to say or ask before the thought scarcely formed in my mind. "I just know people," Her response came yet again before I had a chance to bring forth the question. "Oh…" She said as we came to a halt. "You can't see her right now…"

I felt my eyes widen in the faint glow of the candles. The thudding of my heart had suddenly become the only thing I could hear. I wretched my hand from her grip and rushed over to the door closest to us. My fingers had just touched the cold metal knob when I felt a firm hand rest on my shoulder. "If you go in there now she could never see again," Empathy once more crept into her words just enough to bring fear into my heart. "That Yamanaka set off a Light Bomb while she had her Byakugan activated. Even if Mejiro got here in time and is even able to save her sight, if you interrupt the procedure…" She trailed off slowly empathy was replaced with solemn as she wrapped an arm around me and lead me back the way we came.

"Calliope Sensei left a while ago. Clio barely had time to patch her up before she was off and running to take those two pieces of worthless slime back to Konohagakure. Clio is one of the two medics on the Daimyo's guard; she is looking after the one boy, Koji, he doesn't look so good. He claims to be your student. Thalia, the other medic, went with Calliope just in case her wounds were to reopen. Knowing Sensei and how stubborn she can be it was most likely a good idea. Mejiro is a… Well there is no real official name for it so I think he made it up… Optome-Nin… He is a medical-nin who specializes in eye care. We were in luck he was so close by when Clio sent one of her dragonflies to find him. Sleep now. We'll do everything we can…"

My mind was in such a whirl with all the information that had just been relayed to me, in what could not have been more than half an hour, which I had not noticed we had already arrived back at her room. Palace. Daimyo's guards. Calliope alive and traveling. Hanabi possibly going blind. Optome-Nin. Koji not looking too good. "I know you must be feeling strange right now. Unable to think as you normally would. Simple questions only. Unable to react with your usual spend and skill. It is a side effect of Calliope Sensei's Jutsu. And you hear screaming right? Another side effect, though it should start wearing off soon. Sleep. It will make you feel better."

I watched her blow out each candle while miraculously her veil did not get caught in the flames. One by one the flames disappeared; her shadow disappeared more and more each time as a result. In the darkness I felt a cool rag placed on my forehead, no doubt the same one as before. I head the door start to squeak shut when I managed to find a single question to ask, even though there were probably fifty other better ones to ask. "What is your name?"

For a while there was only silence and I began to wonder if she had left the room. I heard some shifting noises over by where I hazily recall there being a pile of pillows. I heard the light popping sound of lips parting before she answered with the least amount of emotion she had shown since I met her. "My name is Polyhymnia, Muse of Sacred Poetry, Hymn and Eloquence."

* * *

I'M BA-ACK! sorry. the muses put me on a few month vaycay to improve my writing. i think i did alright... well i must have since the muses let me write! i have other chapters written but they need revised to meet the current standards of this chapter. if you do not review the events on the chapter than plz tell me how much i have improved since the previous chapter. it will thus improve your reading experiance.

With Authorly Love,

Freewolf17


	46. Paper & Energy: Bonds Begin to Crumble!

Shikamaya's POV

The Village was like the clouds above; seemingly calm and peaceful, while in truth a storm raged within, ready to break at any moment. Chaos was finally ready to unleash its wrath upon the Council of Konoha. With no one like my Grandmother or Koharu and Homura to keep things under control, more greedy hands than just Danzo's were ready to try their luck at seizing power. Every Councilman was on edge, they jumped at the slightest movement or snap of a twig; fearful they might be next on the long list of blackmail. The one's who did not support Danzo seemed to be more edgy than those who. That damn rat probably has dirt on everyone in Konoha…

According to Hinata's latest report regarding her father, he has concealed himself in his study like a turtle hides in its shell. He has seemed to have lost interest in any and everything, including training, highly unusual for a man of Hiashi's standards… Though what has me worried is that Lord Hyuga is not aware nor has he been notified of Neji's and Hanabi's disappearance. What in the world could Danzo have on him that has him so terrified that he has not noticed his own daughter and nephew are MIA?

That damn rat must have crawled down into the sewers and hid for no one has seen him in days, yet the Council is still petrified. I wouldn't doubt that he is up to some dreadful, underhanded scheme. He has always taken to the shadows; he is like a strangling vine, desperate to reach the sun so it suffocates the tree to do so. For his own selfish ambitions he would sacrifice the whole. He is nothing more than a savage animal, but one with great cunning, the only reason he has survived all these years…

"Shikamaya!" The quiet tone of Hinata's voice did not decrease the urgency it held, if anything it was amplified. My eyes slowly traveled to the shy, dark violet haired girl who knelt on the ground before me. Her lavender eyes looked up timidly as I nodded for her to continue. "M-my father found out…"

"I see…" I said as my eyelids closed centimeter by centimeter. I pinched my temples while I stood straighter than I had all day. "What's happening and what was Lord Hiashi's reaction?" I asked as I pinched my temples even harder in concentration.

"M-my Father finally noticed Hanabi and Neji are missing. He spent half the day looking for them around the Hyuga Compound and just started to look around the Village… Father, told me to do so as well but…" There was an edge to Hinata's voice as she trailed off rather than say the obvious that made it clear there was more. I nodded to her so she knew I had added this tidbit to my vast plethora of knowledge so she could continue. "He put two and two together by the fact that Kiba is missing and six Academy students are gone, though I don't think he told the others…"

"Others?" I groaned while I face palmed myself. Things had gotten out of hand quicker than I had imagined they would, like someone had opened the flood gates of chaos just to ruin my day.

"There's a bit of a riot outside the Hokage Tower from the Academy students' families… I don't think they know about Kiba and Neji being gone as well but…" If I had read Hinata's expression correctly her father was there just as enraged as the others. Despite the fact that he was most likely the only one there who knew that my Grandmother was nowhere near Konoha. It was times like these that make me realize just how important Koharu and Homura are, even if they are a little too militant for my taste.

I sighed in exasperation as I relinquished my vice-like pinch on my forehead as I spoke, "I'll go check it out…" I said as Hinata rose from her kneeling position. "Do you want me to say I helped you search and found nothing? I know how harsh he can be on you," With Hinata's nod of thanks we both sped off over the rooftops for the Hokage Tower. One moment the Hokage Tower was growing larger as we approached, the next thing either of us knew the world was a whirl of dull winter colors, the stone roof -arguably floor- abraded my skin, a tangle of limbs and… Paws?

Several groans, growls and yelps later the _tap tap_ sound was the only thing that alerted me that Hinata as well as whomever we had ran into had risen to their feet. My nose remained glued to the ground as a crippling pain spread from the nape of my neck. Sounds became hazy just like when explosion tag had gone off next to my ear on a mission to the Land of Snow. Snippets of words where the only thing I could hear as someone lifted me into the air by my collar. Colors remained out of focus and blurred while my body hung limply in midair. I was somehow able to discern a face from all the confusion; medium skin tone, wild brown hair, maroon markings… A hoarse whisper managed to crawl its way out of my dry lips to form a single word before the tumult of colors surrendered to black obscurity. "Tsume…"

"Oh, Shikamaya…" A voice that almost whined came from behind me, though I had only heard it once before I knew who the soprano voice belonged to. My fingers dug into the palms of my hands; I felt no pain from this when I turned to face her. There she simply stood, perfect posture, long golden waves that flowed down to her ankles, traces of annoyance filled her cheerless face as she glided over to me. "Why have you not come in contact with your mother yet?"

"Why should I do anything you tell me to do?" I fired back at her; I allowed my adapted Senju temper overcome my genetic Nara ennui. Her only response was a slow blink while she shook her head, golden strands swayed as she did so. "What does coming in contact with my mother do anyway?" My amber eyes scorched with fury and my voice seeped with rancor.

An annoyed sigh escaped her mouth while her expression remained unruffled. "Have you attempted to use Paper Style yet, Shikamaya?" A thin, blond eyebrow rose so high it looked like it was ready to fly right off her forehead. My jaw jerked in a wild, unorthodox paroxysm in a vain attempt to respond to her question. She blocked my Kekkei Genkai, why in the world-? My jaw froze in mid-jerk so quickly it hurt. As the pain slide away my mouth slipped into an enormous 'O'. Nozomi broke into a smile as I understood. "And you are supposed to be a genius with an IQ over two hundred?" Nozomi's voice was filled with amusement while my shock ceased and anger rose once more.

"And you didn't… Tell me this before… Because…. WHY?" I hissed, practically screamed the last word. I shook with rage as I stared her down; in return all she did was keep her serene glee and tilt her head to one side. Her delight seemed to come off her in constant waves but when she opened her mouth to respond annoyance manifested in its place quicker than I could blink an eye.

"Dam it…" She cussed through her grinded teeth; I was taken aback by this more than I had been when she decided to stay with Otogakure. With this… New Nozomi, I never would have imagined her utter a curse. "It seems I have to go… Stupid Spirits… People never want to leave me in peace. Hmph, even the dead will not let the dead rest," She blew a strand of hair that had fallen over her eye in vain. "Good bye, Shikamaya. I hope to speak with you again soon, but different circumstances would be nice…" She muttered before she hurried away into the blackness as it quickly claimed me.

"Nozomi! I'm not done with you! Get back here! NOZOMI!" Eternal darkness gave way to the blinding light that could only be the result of the the sun's cold winter rays reflecting off the frozen, fluffy water.


	47. Old Connections: The Muse and The Hound!

Shikamaya's POV 

"Good, you're alright," Tsume's throaty voice came from a little ways above me as my eyes adjusted to the blinding light. I looked upward and blinked slowly as I felt Tsume raise me even higher off the ground to look her in the eye. Her slits for pupils narrowed, creases appeared at the corners of her eyes, as she squinted at me. The feral woman's nose crinkled slightly before she shrugged and neatly dropped me to the ground. "Where are you two headed in such a hurry?"

There are a few people in the Village who frighten me beyond belief. My Mother when she's angry, temper adapted from Grandma Tsunade who is also on the list of people who scare me, Anko, Aunt Shizune as hard as it maybe to accept she can be quite frightening, Koharu when she got into a heated argument during Council meetings and Tsume Inuzuka for… Well, isn't it obvious? Right now was a perfect exemplification of why. I swallowed before I opened my mouth to speak, only to be cut off by the skilled tracker.

"Ah, whatever. I have more important things to worry about than a few pissed off parents and some kids running around like blue arsed flies…" Tsume's aggravation ruled her mutter and perhaps a tad bit of panic pushed through. Her wolf-like Ninken, Kuromaru, attempted to nod his agreement as he shook off the after effects of the collision. The result of this was Hinata and I fighting a losing battle against giggles.

"Tsume, she's nearly at the gates," Kuromaru said bluntly before he shot a glare at Hinata and I.

"Who is almost at the gates?" I inquired with a raise of my eyebrows. Tsume did not glance at me, instead her gaze rested anxiously at the other end of Konoha, as if she saw beyond the tree tops in the distance. "Tsume?"

"Someone who nearly killed me and I nearly killed them…" Tsume words were almost incoherent as the wind howled over the rooftops. Before I could ask more she and Kuromaru took off across the snow covered roofs, paw and footprints respectively were all that remained of the pair before I could blink an eye.

"Uh… Should we…?" Hinata asked as she pressed her forefingers together nervously.

"Might as well," I said distractedly as I let Hinata lead. Too much was going on at once for my liking; it all seemed to move so quickly. The Jinchuriki, Grandma Tsunade, Grandpa Jiraiya Koharu and Homura taking off without warning… Danzo's sudden activity then to just disappear without a trace… Nozomi suddenly appearing in my dreams, the way she acts… Now Tsume's strange behavior…

"You kids really don't know when to just leave things be do you?" Tsume's raspy voice came from seemingly nowhere; my loose train of thought was ruptured. My amber eyes slowly traveled to glance at Tsume as we leapt onto another row of apartment complexes. Throughout what should have been a brief sprint seemed to drag on as if we were taking an amble through the park, Tsume constantly muttered 'It can't be her… It just can't be… But that perfume… That level of Chakra…'

Hinata stole a glance at me and it was clear our thoughts were one in this situation. Either Tsume finally lost it or this woman must have unbelievable strength. I kept my eyes fixated on the gates as their size increased as an illusion of our approach. The red words of 'retreat' soon became bolder and brighter in the world that was currently ruled by snow. Tsume swallowed as a bead of sweat appeared on her forehead on a day where it was well below freezing, with a wind to boot. Kuromaru _actually _let out a small whine, but it was enough to make my stomach churn like a stormy sea with unease.

The four of us flew through the air like eagles landing on a branch as we touched the ground for the first time in what seemed to be an eternity. Tsume straightened up slowly in an attempt to mask her trembling, her teeth ground together as if to keep from letting out a gasp. Kuromaru's fur stood on end as he remained in a defensive crouch; the snow crunched beneath his paws, ready to attack, a warning growl sounded loud and clear over the increasing wind. Hinata let out a gasp as she stumbled backwards, though this should have compelled me to remain in my kneeling position it only forced me to look up out of a natural and yet somehow unnatural curiosity. The moment I saw what the whole fuss was about, my entire body locked up as if someone had thrown away the key.

"No… It can't be…" The formidable women before us whispered above the wind. Her graying brown waves fell over her face as she leaned in for a closer look, not daring to step beyond the grand gates. Her onyx eyes squinted as the sunlight reflected off her golden tiara; I followed the invisible string that connected her eyes to Tsume's eyes. "You're…"

"Do you know her, Sensei?" For the first time I noticed the brown haired girl, approximately three years my senior, stood a small ways behind the veteran Kunoichi. The teenager's steel grey eyes lazily, yet cheerily followed the same invisible string that I had been. She grew bored of this rather quickly and pulled off her ankle length coat and unwrapped her scarf with fluid grace. An image of Nozomi's elegant glide was sparked from my memory before I shook it away.

"I do believe I do, Thalia!" Glee sparked in the aged Sensei's eyes as they lit up like the night sky. A small grin etched into her face as she put her hands on her hips and let a small laugh. I do not know whether it was the Oto symbol on her tiara that was making me imagine that she looked sadistic or if she truly was this way. "But there is no way this could be that little Inuzuka girl and her adorable pup! The two of them were just the cutest things you had ever laid eyes on! The Inuzuka pair I knew was so sweet looking they did not look like they could harm a fly! Then again… That last bit did prove to be wrong! What a fight those two put up! Along with their Aburame and Hyuga teammates of course! All three of them were such adorable little Genin, plus the puppy just added to it! At first glance I never would have _dreamed_ that working together they nearly killed me! But… I suppose you have the looks to match your skill now, eh, Tsume?" The woman threw her head back laughing while her student looked rather amused by the older woman's long winded monologue. Kuromaru's pelt was raised so high and vibrated so fast from his growls it seemed it would fly right off of his body. Tsume's and rage and perhaps fear was only increased by this formidable woman's friendly banter.

"Oh, Tsume… I ran into a Hyuga kid, Hizashi's boy and his three students. I did not know Konoha gave students to ones so young like they do in Otogakure. Is that new?" Wavy haired woman asked intrigued, her posture relaxed. Her single long sleeve rode up on her arm as she placed her hand on her hip; Tsume's nose twitched as she did so, the narrow slits for pupils widened for some reason. "I thought not… Oh!" She snapped her fingers, her long nails made a _click_ sound in the process. "There was also another set of students and their Sensei… An Inuzuka as well… He would not be your kid would he?" The aged Kunoichi grinned when she saw Tsume stiffen. A small laugh escaped her lips as she smacked her palm on her forehead. "I knew it! He was your boy! I did not mention it to him at the time because I was not certain! I mean Neji, Hizashi's son-"

"I know who Neji is!" Tsume snapped at the elder Kunoichi, her fists clenched and her shoes dung deeper into the snow. "Yes… Kiba is my son… What have you done with him, Calliope?" Fear finally slipped into Tsume's voice at the very thought her son was…

"Me? Nothing! Well, nothing but save their Genin butts anyway," At these words confusion replaced fear in Tsume's eyes and body language. The wild haired woman was about to speak but Calliope continued. "Don't worry he's fine. I don't stoop so low as to attack children without letting them make the first move of hostility. I had them explain what the hell they were doing in the Land of Sound first. Well… Unless you count putting them in a Genjutsu just in case things got out of hand too quickly," Calliope paused to see if Tsume would answer but it became apparent she would not when relief caused her to fall to her knees in the snow.

"I saw your son fight and command those students in battle… I even had the privilege of fighting alongside him. He is very talented, ma'am. You should be proud," Thalia spoke up quietly from her Sensei's side. Her kind gaze rested on Tsume in reassurance but for some reason she locked up.

"Fought against who?" Tsume chocked out, unable to look up. Her whole body looked like it was about to collapse completely. Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined that I would see Tsume reduced to this state, before someone of another Village to boot!

"Oops… I can't believe I forgot!" Calliope muttered as she reached for the scroll on her hip. She fumbled while she struggled to obtain a grip on the edge of the paper. I held my breath praying I could use my Kekkei Genkai. I reached out with my mind into the parchment as Calliope swiftly pulled it open. _Holy crap she has a lot stored in this thing! _Weapons, musical instruments that are probably weapons, music sheets, countless sets of camping gear, spare clothes for every size, gender and age from infancy to and elder._ Does it ever end?_

"Ah, here they are. Come on out you worthless slime…" Smoke obscured our view of the two Sound Kunoichi. Muffled sounds of complaint and irritation came from the center of the dispersing cloud. "Tsume, I think I found something you hate more than me and we can probably both get along well enough to beat the crap out of… Danzo's subordinates, the slime known as Root…"


	48. The Curse Within

Shikamaya's POV

The formidable Calliope and cheerful Thalia stood proudly behind two hogtied Konoha Shinobi, who struggled furiously against their binds. The aged Kunoichi smirked as she leaned forward and rested an elbow on the Yamanaka's head. "So, Tsume, would you like to have a good kick at them before I hand them over? You could just say you were aiming for me, but I used them as human shields," The elder woman looked at the wild haired Tokubetsu Jonin, her eyebrows raised cunningly.

"Thanks… But no thanks…" Tsume said as she gathered her bearings and stood up. Everyone but Calliope and Tsume seemed to have ceased breathing; Calliope's calm and waiting, Tsume's labored as if she had just got done running from dawn until dusk on the summer solstice.

"Oh? Really?" Calliope's eyebrows raised even higher, the cunningness lost and curiosity in its place. She slowly rose off of the Yamanaka and placed a hand on her hip, her purple sleeve once more exposing her manicured nails that had made Tsume flinch in alarm moments ago now had no effect on her whatsoever.

"Yeah…" Tsume said her harsh voice regaining its confidence once more, but not her usual overconfidence. Her slits for pupils locked on Calliope with determination. "For a few reasons actually…"

"Well, let's hear them, Tsume," Calliope's interest was no longer a bored spark but a searing blaze of interest. Though, a knowing smile worked its way into her smirk as she returned Tsume's determined gaze with an unidentifiable significance.

"Well, for one it would be way too easy," Tsume's first response seemed to be what Calliope had been expecting by the way her smirk deepened, but her posture suggested she was eager to hear and was unsure of Tsume's second reason. "But even scum like them deserve to have half a chance of defending themselves. If I were to just kick, or bite or punch them when they cannot even stand to begin with, well… What would that say about me?"

"Heh… Heh. Heh, heh... Hahahahaha!" Calliope exploded into laughter when Tsume had finished. Though, her laughter was not cruel nor was it really joyful. It was more of disbelief. "If someone had told me-Ha! That the vicious little brat who went for every opening there was, even if there wasn't one at all, would turn into this honorable woman before me I would have laughed them off the face of the planet! It seems you did learn something from me back then."

Tsume's only response was the hardening of her eyes. The tension in the air was so thick it could be cut with a pair of chopsticks; Hinata and I trapped within it immobilized. But the tension seemed to have gone unnoticed by Calliope's student whose name currently has escaped me. "Sensei, what are you talking about?"

"What…? Am I…? Talking about…?" Calliope asked slowly, danger alarms went off in every corner of my brain with each pause and syllable. Her onyx eyes drifted slowly away from Tsume and to the sixteen year old brunette. "What am I talking about? Thalia, I have only told this story a hundred times!"

"Actually, according to Polyhymnia you have told it ninety-seven times," Thalia said cheekily as she grey eyes glinted up at Calliope.

"Whatever! Not the point! How do you not know this story by now? HOW?" Calliope exclaimed in disbelief, her sleeved hand on her hip and her bare arm held aloft in the air accusingly. "_How_ can you _not_ remember the story where a Clan Trio as old as InoShikaCho nearly killing me? _How_ can you not remember that feisty Inuzuka girl? _How_-?"

"I know faces not names!" Thalia exclaimed in self defense against her accusing master, a finger pointed at the elder woman.

"Never the less how many Ninken Handlers have I faced and told you their stories?" Calliope said enflamed as her other hand rested on her hip in the form of a fist.

"According to Polyhymnia, twenty-nine," Thalia said flatly as she assumed an identical pose to her Sensei; both leaned in so closely their noses were only separated by a paper's depth.

"That fought alongside Bug Handlers?" I could have sworn Calliope's eyebrows disappeared behind her tiara as it glimmered in the setting winter sun.

"Thirteen by Polyhymnia's score," Thalia said flatter than the previous time, sparks flew between student and teacher as the argument grew more heated.

"That fought with a Byakugan wielder?" A triumphant grin appeared on the veteran Kunoichi's face as Thalia muttered 'one' in defeat. In victory, Calliope's posture resumed its finer ambiance.

"You told your students about our battle?" Tsume said in shock that rippled out to Hinata and I. This woman behaved strangely… She was so open with her emotions, when at first glance she would seem snobby and aloof.

"Of course," Calliope said surprised that Tsume was surprised. "The three of you fought valiantly! Teamwork could have been a little better but none the less, two young, inexperienced Shinobi and one Kunoichi three considerable years younger than her teammates were able to take me on alone. By the way where in the world was your Sensei anyways? My girls often ask that but quite frankly I have _no_ idea whatsoever of his or her whereabouts during that fight."

Tsume seemed quite flustered by the elder Kunoichi's high praises that she momentarily forgot what she had been asked. "He… Well…"

"He was taking a dump," Kuromaru spoke up for the first time in ages.

"He was… Using the little Shinobi's room? Oh that's rich!" Calliope snorted in a vain attempt to hold back a laugh. "Oh, Lord!" The graying woman clutched her stomach in a fit of laughter. "That is just priceless!"

"Someone spi-!" Tsume spoke in a lame attempt to defend her former teacher, whoever he was. She rubbed the back of her neck realizing there was no possible way she could defend her former teacher. Kuromaru had a similar response; his right forepaw nervously scratched his ear.

An understanding look crossed Calliope's face. "It happens to the best every now and again. I've gotten poisoned more times than I have replaced the strings on my shamisen," Calliope said as she folded her arms and nodded like it was no big deal. _This woman was poisoned that many… How in the world-?_ "Well, it is not like I keep an eye out for it. I drink half a gallon of bleach for breakfast and inhale carbon monoxide while I meditate,"

Every jaw but Calliope's and Thalia's hit the ground. The student and Sensei before us seemed to be confused by our reactions momentarily, "Calliope Sensei cannot be poisoned," Thalia said this like it was not an uncommon thing.

"It's true," Calliope said as she slowly raised her perfectly manicured nails to the sunset. Breath hitched in my chest as the minute flowers painted on her nails glinted as if they had dew ornating their petals. The only sound I heard was the pounding of my heart as her hand flew in a downward arch. One moment her nails sparkled in the fading light the next… Blood. Crimson, delicate beads at the end of thick liquid threads traced fragile snakes down her bare arm.

"It is a Kekkei Genkai," Calliope said solemnly, her fresh wound raised to her lips as she kissed away the liquid of life. "It was buried deep within the royal family of the Land of Sound. Kekkei Genkai are awakened through pain. Pain greater than a simple slap on the face from a parent. Pain that shreds a child's innocence. Takes away everything that a child should be. Robbed of… Everything…" Calliope took a dangerous step towards us but we were either too captivated or too afraid of what she was saying. "If you ever wonder… For a moment why there are so many people in Otogakure with Kekkei Genkai… Think long and hard about where so many of us came from… Think long and hard about what we have been through… That is terrible enough… To awaken the curses that forever course through our vains…"


	49. Bloody Origins!

Shikamaya's POV

"Kekkei… Kekkei Genkai are awakened through pain…?" I whispered. My heart raced and my palms became sweaty as I felt it was my turn to sink down to my knees in the deep snow.

"You mean you didn't know that?" Thalia answered my question with a question of her own. Her pigtails that hung from her Chinese buns fell over her face as she titled her head from side to side. Her grey eyes vanished and reappeared a multitude of times as she blinked either in surprise or to blink the newly falling snow out of her eyes.

Calliope sighed sadly as she started to explain, "We only know this from our own experiences. Actually what most of you people think are abilities resulted from experiments are awakened Kekkei Genkai, ones that have been laying dormant for over a century or at least long enough for them to be forgotten. Take mine for example, the royal family of the Land of Sound used to be a powerful Shinobi Clan before they became royalty. Experts in poisons of all sorts, from Chakra poisons to your average household poisons we were world renown for them just two centuries ago. Then the royal family at the time was ready to die out with the exception of one princess, she married the current head of the Clan. She took his last name and," Calliope snapped her fingers and her long nails clicked once more. "Well, you get the idea. Being now royalty the Clan slowly gave up the Shinobi ways and as the pain of the Shinobi ways faded away so did the Kekkei Genkai. Until me that is."

"So pain is the key to Kekkei Genkai?" Hinata asked timidly, as she did her finger-pressy- thingy… Whatever it is called…

"Essentially yes," Calliope said as she nodded. "The pain of the Shinobi lifestyle means you need an edge on the battle field. Therefore somehow Kekkei Genkai came to be. From what I can make of it our ancestors' Chakra somehow sensed the need for the edge and gave them the abilities now known as Kekkei Genkai. So, as the pain and need for the Kekkei Genkai fades it does itself. There are exceptions to the rules of course, there always are, but in general pain is the key to unlocking them. Your mother is a prime example, Lady Shikamaya."

"L-Lady?" I stuttered, shocked that such a woman would call me, a child Chunin 'Lady Shikamaya'. "And… And my mother?"

"Yes, it is not my place to speak of the hardships she went through that allowed the ancient Paper Kekkei Genkai to awaken after so long. After all," Calliope said as her gaze held a deep level of respect I was not sure I deserved. "It was once the prize of the Uchiha Clan, about one thousand five hundred years ago,"

"UCHI-WHAT?" I shrieked, my legs took their turn to give out, the crunch of the snow seemed magnified a thousand fold as it became the only sound I could hear but the lub-dub of my heartbeat racing.

"I thought you knew…" Calliope said revelation. "Well, I suppose I have a lot more to explain than I originally thought, but I don't think this is the place to do so. Not to mention you'll catch your death out here, not being used to such cold temperatures,"

Everything became a whirlwind of colors and sounds as someone hoisted me to my feet. Calliope's words repeatedly rung in my ears in random orders as I felt Hinata's gentle hands on my shoulders guide me. _'Pride of the Uchiha Clan' 'Your mother is a prime example' 'ancestors' Chakra somehow sensed the need'_ '_Lady Shikamaya…' 'Lady Shikamaya…' 'Uchiha…' 'Lady-' 'Pride…' 'Uchiha…' 'Lady-' 'Uchiha' 'Lady Uchiha' 'Lady Uchiha Shikamaya…'_

"Shikamaya? Baby, are you alright?" My mother's voice snapped me out of my trance like my Grandmother's finger could shatter a mountain. I looked up slowly too see my mother's amber eyes gave off a comforting amber ember of concern. I felt horrible as all I could do was turn away from her and have my senses readjust to mental awareness. The Council Chamber. A Council meeting had been called.

"W-what did I miss?" I whispered, my head coming out of the whirl of shock.

"Nothing yet, Shikamaya, but you will soon if you don't pay attention," My father whispered from my left. I gave a vague nod in acknowledgement.

"Well, before I go into detail of why the heck I'm here I do owe Lady Shikamaya an explanation. Beings that I did drop a bomb of shock on her…" Calliope said as she rubbed the back of her head nervously. A sigh heaved from her chest as she looked up to ceiling and muttered, "How to put it gently…"

"I don't think there is a way, Calli Sensei…" Thalia said quietly. "Something like this…"

"I suppose you're right, Thalia…" Calliope turned to face my Mother and I, sympathy glistened in her eyes. "It is not really a hard connection to make to be honest. Uchiha. Uchiwa. And Uchiwa is a _paper_ fan. _Paper_ Kekkei Genkai. Anyway-"

"Wait a moment!" A voice echoed around the Chamber. Everyone seemed to move as one, Konoha and Oto alike towards the source of the outburst. Danzo Shimura. "You are saying these two…" Danzo's only good arm pointed menacingly at my Mother and I. "Are Uchiha decedents?"

Calliope's eyebrows twitched in annoyance. "Your manners are terrible! I have seen young brats with better manners than you," Calliope stated bluntly; a cruel smirk crossed her face before she spoke once more. "Besides, Root sludge, you might not want to draw attention to yourself because once I'm done talking you are going to want to bury your head in the sand, or sink so low into the ground that you'll reach Hell!"

A number of different gasps could be heard in one collective breath. Some were ready to laugh at the way Danzo sunk back into his chair. Very few were insulted at how she treated Danzo. But most were just plain impressed that she had the guts to say that to the man who had blackmail on everyone in Konoha. To be honest I liked Calliope more and more by the second but my feelings on what she has to say about my Mother and I remain to be seen.

"_Anyways…_" Calliope's voice warned that the next person to interrupt her, Root sludge or not, would be walking out of her without reproductive organs. Quite frankly that does not sound pleasant for both male and female parties that occupied the room. "I guess I'm going to have to take this all the way back to the Sage of the Six Paths to keep things clear," It could not be clearer that she was not pleased about having to tell a story that went so far back. "The Sage had many powers. One of them was the Wood Kekkei Genkai, the Blood Line Limit of Life as it was once known. Now we all know paper can come from trees right? So that clears up _how_ it derives from the Sage and no it is not absolutely necessary I tell you this but I don't want any stupid questions later."

Calliope paused to make sure we had everything straight so far. "Alright, moving on, while he passed on the Blood Line Limit of Life to his younger son's eldest daughter, his elder son's youngest daughter got something… Different yet similar, the Paper Kekkei Genkai. The elder son, Ichiro, came to prize his youngest child above all of his other children because of this ability. Amaya became his prize. Though the youngest of all of his children he chose her as his heir. Amaya, being wise as she was, knew it was not right but was tactful. When her father died she offered the position as Head of Clan to her eldest sibling, but out of years of acceptance that his father had chosen her as his heir, he declined. She offered it to all of her elder sister and brothers but they all said 'No, father chose you'. Which is pretty ironic; considering the whole Uchiha vs. Senju thing started because of the father choosing the youngest…" Once more Calliope let us drink this all in.

"For some reason, Ayama was the only one of his children to _not_ have a slightly evolved form of his Dojutsu that would eventually become the Sharingan we know today. None of her children possessed the progressing Dojutsu but instead her never changing ability. Perhaps it was the fact that their eyes were not mutated that the decedents of Amaya saw that the bloody rivalry with the Senju Clan was wrong and hence forth had very little to do with it, despite being the Leaders of the Clan. Whomever the Head was knew they could never stop the Dojutsu wielders from fighting the Senju branch, so they came up with a way to keep themselves out of the fighting."

Whispers of shock rippled throughout the Chamber in response to Calliope's tale. "They preferred history to be written in ink not blood. They said if the Dojutsu wielders chose to write their history in blood then so be it, but they would write theirs and everyone else's in ink. They became historians," Calliope said simply. "Over the centuries, they created a colossal library, Known as the Library of Truth, with the aid of other Clans that had been brought forth as time wore on. There was once a Clan who could morph one stone into another, like granite into marble for instance, they created the structure itself. Then there is the Gyokukokoro Clan, their accursed gift made it possible for them to create anything from worthless crystals to priceless gemstones; they helped not only to add a fabulous décor but a certain gemstone that only they could create could record memories just like Lady Shikamaya's Paper Flashback can. There were several other Clans who helped to add to the construction and upkeep of the Library but for now that is a good enough explanation."

Once more she stopped to so that we could process the information. "It was because of this Library and Amaya's extraordinary abilities that got passed down to her children that the Paper Kekkei Genkai was the pride of the Uchiha Clan, to the point where they were pretty much named the Clan after them. Granted the 'Senchiha' name got split between the two brothers. The younger taking Sen and adding Ju to get Senju and- Well you get the idea. Anyway back on topic, the Paper branch slowly severed its ties to the Dojutsu branch and became two separate Clans. Though the Paper branch still fought when necessary to keep the ability of the Kekkei Genkai going, the Clans abandoned the Library and not a thing has been recorded since…"

"What happened?" My father asked intrigued by the whole topic of an ancient Library.

"Dunno," Calliope shrugged helplessly. "They never recorded _why _they left. They just said they left it behind 'to broaden horizons' and that's it,"

"So you've been there?" Another council member asked highly intrigued. She looked like she was about to fall out her seat and onto the wooden floor. Glee and intrigue filler her eyes as they rested eagerly on Calliope.

"Yes, many times. Originally I had very little desire to seek it, but my eldest student Polyhymnia was like 'You must find it!' 'We must find it!' We searched for years and never found that place; it was not until I got my final squad that we found the Library of Truth. Clio was over joyed and we found it! Good Lord did she go crazy! It truly is an astonishing place, nothing like it in the world! It has information on every Clan there is! Jutsu's, history, lullabies, bedtime stories, you name it! Of course ever Clan's section is blocked with the strongest Seals I've ever seen! Each area can only be unlocked with the blood of a member of that Clan. Freshly drawn and willingly given, in no ways can they be forced or it will not work. I gotta hand it to your ancestors Miss Konan and Lady Shikamaya; they knew what they were doing!" A scarred finger pointed at us proudly before it slowly dropped to her side and empathy crossed her face. "I understand this must be a shock for you, but- You know it is not my place to say, but I don' think it would have been right for you to go your whole lives never knowing."

I looked away from the woman before us, trying to process all of this. Every part of me was on over load. Furious, confused and overwhelmed more than I ever have been in my life, my brain cold not focus on it all. I closed my eyes tightly as a tempest of voices raged in my head. Danzo's cunning words filled with malice, though I was unable to make them out. Nozomi's voice annoyed and understanding, almost vainly attempting to keep calm. Calliope's ever changing tone provided answers to things I never could have fathomed. My own hopeless voice in a futile effort to make sense of it all ran together like colored ink of a drenched picture; unrecognizable to anyone.

"Not that this is not interesting," My Mother's voice chased away the storm with the first verbalization like a Shinobi would chase away a fly. "But I cannot help but wonder just what happened that made you run into our children."

Calliope seemed mildly surprised how well my Mother took to the news before a sorrowful look claimed her face. "Some of my student Muses and I were returning from our usual check in with Orochimaru, reports, any trouble, anything he needs a few of us to do, and for him and I idle BS and reminisce of the old days. Sappho, one of my eldest Muses, sensed something that was not supposed to be there. I told them to return to the Palace and I would check it out. At first I thought it could be the Alliance members I ran into and their students but something just did not seem right. Konoha and the larger Villages do not do things the way majority of the smaller Hidden Villages, including Otogakure, something was up. Turns out those six youngling brats wanted to see what the Alliance of the Crescent Moon was all about but that's not what struck me as funny. Alliance brats pass through often enough that we know who they are and escort them to whatever border they need to get to no problem; enough so that they are not 'Amiss Alarms' with her form of tracking. I had never seen these Alliance brats before but they should still not have set off the Amiss Alarm. Then these two," Calliope paused long enough to aim a skilled kick at the Aburame. "show up trying to kill the brats. The younger ones that I had mistaken for Alliance apprentices ran like the Alliance brats told them too. One Alliance brat refused to flee because he wanted to help me defeat the Aburame and the other brat went after the students just in case. I fought the Aburame alone after I placed the one brat who stayed behind in a Genjutsu to prevent him from getting in the way-"

"She does that to us _all_ the time!" Thalia interrupted her Sensei comically which caused a mix reaction amongst the Council. A few, like Tsume, laughed at the look on Calliope's face, which was a cross of annoyance and amusement. Though most looked shocked and scared at what Calliope would do at the fact of being interrupted.

Calliope soon grinded her knuckles on Thalia's head at what would be to and for a Shinobi gently. "Shut it brat! I'm the one explaining things here," Calliope said warningly with a smile as she ceased and gently punched her student's shoulder. "Anyway, I beat the crap out of the Aburame here, though I was previously wounded from when I had blocked an attack on one of the Alliance Apprentices that either the Aburame and Yamanaka did, no idea which. WHICH, is why this little brat here is accompanying me," Calliope lifted the hem of her shirt just enough to see blood stained bandages wrapped around her abdomen. She continued as the hem slipped from her long fingernails. "From there due to profuse blood loss I fell into unconsciousness. Sappho, Euterpe and Clio later informed me of what happened. In summary of the events of what happened from there; Sappho knew something was wrong so she, Euterpe and Clio turned around henceforth and came to our rescue. One of the Apprentice brats, Koji, ventured to near to the 'unconscious' Aburame, Aburame reached out and injected his nano-sized insects into Koji and now the brat's life is jeopardy. Clio can only keep those insects at bay with her own for so long before… And then there's that little Hyuga girl…" Calliope sighed sadly as she trailed off and covered her face with one hand.

"Hanabi…" Hiashi Hyuga chocked out, "What's happened to her?"

Calliope could not meet Hiashi's eyes as he spoke. "She may go blind," A chorus of gasps and shocked whispers echoed around the room prevented Calliope from continuing right away. "The Yamanaka went for the others while I was preoccupied with the Aburame. He… He let off a light bomb while her Byakugan was activated. We sent for Mejiro, he calls himself an Optome-Nin, a Medical-Nin who specializes in eyes, to see if he could do anything," She glanced at Lord Hyuga apologetically. "Anything that happens to those children is my fault. I took responsibility for their safe keeping until we reached the border."

The room was deadly silent until Shibi asked something that had obviously been bugging him. "What is this Clio's surname?"

Calliope seemed just as surprised as the rest of us that Shibi had asked something seemingly so un-relevant. Then something seemed to have dawned on Calliope as a small, sad grin etched itself on her face. "Clio… Chohanami…"


	50. Friend, Foe and Everything in Between

Shikamaya's POV

"Clio Chohanami…"

"Chohanami?" Shibi said hoarsely from behind the high collar of his coat. The rest of the council turned to him, very few of them had ever heard of the Chohanami Clan but those who had, understood Shibi's mixed feelings, though it was barely detectable in his ever detached voice. "The Chohanami Clan is very apt Clan of bug handlers. They use a wide variety of bugs. Butterflies, spiders, bees, dragonflies, you name it; they could get it to obey and befriend them with ease. They were prominently known for their ability to heal with their bugs but they could do more than heal. At one time long before the time of the Villages they were the Aburame's rivals, but by no means bitter."

Calliope nodded calmly to Shibi and continued for him. "Quite the opposite of bitter rivals, in fact there were a lot of marriages between the two back then… Even though the Chohanami and Aburame Clans were never bitter rivals, whenever the Daimyos got pissy with each other the two Clans had no choice but to fight each other. As both Clans had extensive knowledge of each other the death toll varied between zero and so decimating that both Clans were nearly wiped out. Eventually the two Clans got sick of having to kill each other because their Daimyos rubbed each other the wrong way. Rather than just saying 'screw you' and refusing to fight they dissolved their relationships with each other. No longer friends, but not bitter rivals. From what Clio has told me it did nothing as far as the death toll goes. It remained the same, it was only to make the pain of killing friends go away," Calliope shook her head sadly.

"You're teaching a Chohanami? I did not know they had affiliated themselves with Otogakure," Shibi asked pushing his shades up the bridge of his nose. All eyes slowly traveled from Shibi Aburame back to the Goddess. Calliope shook her head once more before she replied.

"I honestly do not know where they stand on that matter. The Chohanami's all adorn Otogakure Hitai-ates. None of them live in a base; they live on the same two thousand acre plot of land since the good God above knows when. They take missions from Oto, or directly from the Daimyo or original source. To be honest those hyper-active nut jobs march to their own beats and no one bothers to tell them otherwise," Calliope said this as if it were something that happened everywhere in the world. For her I suppose this was normal, but in the Land of Fire it was either you belong to Konohagakure or not at all. There was no middle ground like these Chohanami's did things.

"I see…" Shibi said slowly as he adjusted his shades yet again. To read an Aburame takes skill and years of experience with them, fortunately I have that experience from years of being friends with Shino. I may not be able to read them as well as an Inuzuka or Hyuga can but I can still get the basic idea of things and Shibi was scared out of his mind.

"Chohanami?" I asked. "I've never heard of that Clan," I blinked in confusion. Come to think of it I never knew of any Clans in the Land of Sound until I met the Fuma Clan until I met them.

"You should have," Thalia blinked at me surprised. "You fought one once! Kidomaru Chohanami! Uses spiders? Actually, did you know that those extra arms are not the results of experiments? It is part of the Chohanami's thing. Whatever bug or insect or whatever you are affiliated with you get some of their powers. Like Clio is affiliated with butterflies and dragonflies, a rarity that two different bugs chose to affiliate themselves with one person, she can stitch between butterfly and dragonfly wings! But yeah, Land of Sound Clans generally keep low profiles, either that or no one lives to tell the tale."

"Well, we said all we came to say and a lot more," Calliope said. "We'll be leaving now. If any of you who are related to the children who are under Lady Daimyo's protection, whom by the way were doing what _none_ of you bothered to do and that would be go get your Hokage back here where she belongs instead of trying to interfere with the Jinchuriki Summit, would like to come I would not begrudge you this. Furthermore, if you try to stop me from leaving I will use force if necessary to leave the premises of Konoha and Land of Fire borders but I would prefer to leave peacefully," Calliope said as she exited the meeting hall with Thalia in her wake. No one was foolish enough to stop this woman.

Tsume, Shibi and Hiashi stood up quickly and followed Calliope out, without a doubt they requesting to go with her. The remainder of the Council was frozen in place, namely Danzo. This without a doubt hindered his position for blackmail, as everyone knew that these two were Danzo's underlings. These two Otogakure Shinobi may have solved one of my many problems for me. A gentle touch that I knew to be Hinata's got my attention. A single glance at her expression let me know what she wanted to do. Follow them.

I nodded in response before I rose from my seat and lead the way out as we weaved through those whom still remained seated. Danzo's soul eye, as far as I knew anyway, looked at me through its corner. Our thoughts were one for a brief instance. This isn't over yet. It has only begun.

Not a soul was in the corridors when we exited the Meeting Hall, a tap on the shoulder from Hinata caused me to turn to her once more only to follow her finger upward at the ceiling. A blank glance at her face reminded me of how she could know such a thing. A sighed heaved from me before I motioned for her to follow me once more the simple circular structure made it easy to find our way to the roof. As we passed Grandma Tsunade's office on our way there I felt the urge to pop in and make sure she was doing paperwork and not either drowning her sorrow in sake or taking a nap. All too often I caught her doing both, she knew I knew that she leapt eagerly into the Sand Man's arms more times than I could count. I do not even think Grandpa Jiraiya knows she once again picked up that horrible habit she had dropped long before I was born. I could not help but wonder how it felt to be worry free for the briefest amount of time. Blinding light that glistened off of snow crystals brought me back to reality.

"-thing you can do for the boy. It's too late now. He'll be dead by the time we get there, Shibi. I really wish I could have been strong enough to protect him but I am only human... No, that's no excuse… I'm a legend for a reason. I'm supposed to be strong enough to protect everyone. I'm-"

"Forget it… Calliope." Tsume hoarse voice sounded empathetic as she dared to interrupt the stronger woman. "You are only human after all. And an aging one at that."

"Don't you think I know that Tsume? I appreciate what you are saying, coming from someone who not too long ago would like to have killed me where I stood. But I'm not just 'The Goddess of Heroic Poetry' I'm also the _Princess _of the Land of Sound, my elder sister is the queen! I have to be strong enough to protect _my_ country as well as protect the innocent others no matter where they are from."

"I didn't know you were a princess," Shibi said in his usual flat tone. "From what you told Tsume you were obviously of the royal family but to be that closely related surprises me," Shibi pulled his collar up to protect him from the cold. Though I am not sure which cold, the cold of the air, the atmosphere of the conversation or the response he was expecting. "Though that does not mean you have to be undefeatable."

"I know…" The apparent mortal goddess said this far from frigidly, this without a doubt caused the shocked expressions to arise on Tsume's and Hiashi's faces; Shibi showed his shock by adjusting his shades once more. "But I cannot help the way I feel. I used to be the snobbiest brat in the world. I was so aloof with my feelings, even with myself. As you probably are very aware now I am not afraid to show affection and laughter and anger and empathy as I once was. When it comes to sorrow I do keep it hidden from most but to the right people like my siblings and certain students… Learning what to show when is a part of being a true Shinobi. Tsume taught me that all those years ago that keeping everything inside is no good, which is why I spared yours and Hizashi's lives. You three made me remember… I tried to pay that debt back by protecting those children, Tsume's son and Hizashi's boy amongst them, though I seem to have failed. Those two may be fine but those kids they had with them… I failed to protect them so it is no different than if one of those two were to die. I do not expect you to understand, so please don't try to."

The two Jonin and lone Tokubetsu-Jonin before her seemed to respect that wish and not press the issue. Shibi once more pushed his shades up the bridge of his nose, though if he did that one more time they would probably be pushed up to his eyebrows. "If your student, Clio, feels that nothing can be done by the time anyone would get there I suppose it would be quite senseless to send Shikuro all the way to the Land of Sound to attempt to save the boy. But I think we should at least try," Shibi's words shocked us all.

"I appreciate this as well, Shibi but are you sure you should be sparing the manpower? I am very well aware that Konohagakure is still recovering from last summer," Calliope openly yet discretely brought up the fact of the invasion that her Village had lead. I failed to see the tactic that could possibly work out in her favor by bringing this up.

"None the less, every chance we have we should take," Tsume said. "And we are doing just fine," Her tone was slightly over offensive, a dead giveaway that we were still not at the full height of our power. But if Calliope had noticed it she did not let it show.

"Very well, it is not my place to interfere with Shibi's decisions as Aburame Head. If you would like to send Shikuro just in case the boy was strong enough and Clio managed to keep them at bay, then very well and if Hiashi and Tsume wish to come because of their children then I have no business at all to refuse."

"Thank you," Hiashi said giving the woman a deep bow of respect. "Hinata."

"Yes, Father?" Hinata had by some miracle been able to keep from stuttering as her father spoke directly to her, though there was timidness about her voice that made me fear for her ever so slightly.

"I need you to look over the Clan affairs while I am gone. Understood?" Hiashi's tone actually held some trust in Hinata as they were spoken. Hinata, nor I for that matter, could hide our shock at Hiashi's demand. Once she had realized just what had been asked of her she stood tall and proud, bowed deeply to her father acknowledging the fact that for once in her life he believed in her. I had no idea what had went on between those two from the time Neji, Kiba and the Academy students left but whatever it was… I'm glad. Perhaps the understanding that had been reached between old enemies as well as Hiashi's new attitude towards his eldest daughter would be a good omen of things to come.


	51. Creating a Monster

Shikamaya's POV

The tense atmosphere had been blown away by the chilly winter breeze as Calliope turned to leave, when she froze where she stood. Her gaze drifted off over the Village and a peculiar look crossed her face, the wind picked up once more and our eyes watered in result but I am not so sure it was just the wind that caused Calliope to shed a tear. Something seemed to bother her greatly, almost like a phantom of the past had arisen from the rooftops. "I can see why he once wanted to be Hokage… This place is beautiful in its own manner," A faint smile crossed her weathered face as she gently shut her eyes and inhaled the frosty air. Her eyes opened to reveal sorrow hidden deep within her onyx eyes before she continued for the door once more.

"What in the world was that about?" Tsume exclaimed the instant the Goddesses had disappeared down the stairs. Every one of us looked at each other slowly in turn before we shrugged in a loss for words when Hinata spoke up in her usual timid approach.

"I… I know at one time Orochimaru desired to be Hokage but… Somehow I don't think she was referring to him but… Someone else…" The actions were repeated only curiosity and wonder replaced confusion.

"I… Don't believe it…" Tsume growled feraly, her hands clenched and teeth bared. Kuromaru, whom I just realized had been there the whole time, mimicked her actions with the exception of the hair on the back of his neck rose. "She isn't even heading for the gates…" We all jolted in shock. _Was this all just one huge distraction?_

"Byakugan!" Hinata said strongly, no hand seal formed. Her eyes darted in several different directions before they locked briefly, continued once more then finally settled before she mentally returned to our location. "They split up. Thalia is already waiting at the gate, most likely via Shunshin but Calliope…" Hinata paused as if she did not believe what she had seen herself. "Calliope is at the Memorial Stone… She looked like she was trying to talk to someone but was unsure of what to say…"

I sighed before I spoke, "It's a drag but I'll check out what Calliope is up to," _I needed to go there anyway…_ I nodded to the Clan Heads and the Hyuga Heiress before my body began to peel off slowly into sheets of paper before it collapsed and blew away into the wind. I felt free.

I thought I would never be this free again. When I was over a hundred sheets of paper I felt like all of my troubles were far away, a part of me here and a part of me there. The feeling was almost indescribable. Lost amongst the wind, free to let it control me or guide myself. The breeze caressed each individual sheet with a gentleness that calmed me so. Could this be how Nozomi felt when she merged with trees, traveled amongst their branches and roots?

One of the many leaflets 'saw', I suppose one could say, Calliope before the Memorial Stone. Together the sheets of paper swirled towards the small clearing and slowly unified from the feet up. I walked towards her even was my abdomen was still being formed, I did not bother to waste my chakra to walk atop of the snow to avoid the delicate _crunch_. "Do you know someone here?" I asked quietly, in respect for the fallen I knelt in the cold snow as it soaked the knees of my pants.

"Quite a few…" Calliope murmured. I barely heard the crack in her voice as I heard the soft _clink _as she placed her tiara on the concrete that surrounded the primarily glossy stone forever scared dark and dull with scorch marks. A shaky sigh escaped her chest as I heard her sit beside me in the snow. "I am sure you heard of the sixty infants who Orochimaru experimented on, correct?"

It felt as though time lurched back to the brief moment of when Grandma Tsunade whispered '_Those poor babies… Sixty of them… Why…?_' I had never understood what she had meant until now, but to avoid looking the fool I simply nodded.

"I knew at least thirty-nine Konoha Shinobi on this Stone. Thirty nine of those infants were injected with the DNA of those thirty-nine I knew. The other twenty-one were given DNA samples of the twenty-one who would have become Oto Shinobi had they lived," Her sigh was heavy and shaky as she struggled to keep herself composed but a single tear leaked from her eye. In result her purple face stain became slightly smeared. "It was during the Second War… Orochimaru came home with twelve other Jonin and their squads, and he brought his own students. They were ordered to protect the farmers' fields that were located not too far from our home; the farmers were supplying Konoha with food for their military forces. Orochimaru and his fellow Konoha Shinobi needed somewhere to stay, naturally our mansion was the prime location for this and we orphans willingly and eagerly welcomed them."

"How did a bunch of _orphans_ afford a _mansion_?" The inquiry just blurted from my mouth before I had a chance to think twice about it. I slapped my hand over my mouth in regret and chanced a glance up at the Goddess. She actually held a small smile on her face.

"Very observant, it was abandoned when we found it and when someone from the Land of Rice Field's government came to investigate, years prior to the war, the rumors they saw what was going on and let us be. No taxes, heh, it was nice… Anyway, we all became close; all of us were Shinobi fighting the same battle. We had a lot of fun when nothing was going on… Every time we did have to defend the fields it went without a hitch. We grew arrogant. One day we all were just so full of ourselves we raced back to the mansion, not even thinking about the fact that a trap could have been laid for us…" Another tear leaked from her eye before she gave up and let them fall. Tiny holes appeared in the snow, one for each tear.

"All thirty-nine Konoha Genin and twenty-two of our children… They decided to race back to the mansion…" Her whole body shook now; her long, sharp nails clenched and tore five holes into her left pant leg. "I was the only one of them who survived… Nawaki Senju died shielding me from the explosion… The love of my life… I should have been the one protecting him! I was older! I NEVER SAID A THING AND NOW IT'S TOO LATE! I…!" Her right hand flew to her mouth and bit hit to muffle her scream of agony. She trembled harder than Nozomi had when she was dying. It made me sick to see a woman who had the strength to challenge the entire Council reduced to this state. _How can anyone endure this level of pain without killing themselves first? _"It should have been me… It should have been me…! Or-Orochimaru took tissue samples from e-each body when no one was l-looking, or he th-thought at least… All together there were sixty dead children… Anyone wh-who had been t-too young to fight was taken to the Library of Truth a week before the Konohagakure Shinobi came. The Library was far enough a-way from the line of battle… If they hadn't of been the death toll w-would have exceeded a hundred…"

_Sixty dead children. Sixty tissue samples. Sixty infants… _"According to what I heard the babies were injected with the Shodai's DNA… But… I can now understand how that error could have been made with Nawaki being his grandson…" I murmured quietly as I traced the lines I had created in the snow. "But why? Was there a point to injecting the DNA of those kids into babies?"_ God I must sound so insensitive… Here this woman is crying her eyes out over the only one she ever loved and fifty-nine other close friends while all I am doing is pushing the matter more… But this could be the only chance I'll ever get to know the truth about those babes…_

The silence between us grew longer. I had already pieced Orochimaru's possible reason for doing this but I needed a confirmation. I cannot afford assumptions that could be wrong. Calliope's crying had reduced itself to a few occasional sobs as she began to gather her wits once more. "He felt it was his fault. He thought by taking sixty already dying infants and giving them each one DNA sample of one of sixty strong and would have been aspiring Shinobi… The infants lives would have been spared and a part of those children would live on… In a sense it would have been like he was resurrecting them. A way to put his own conscience at ease, but it failed miserably and drove him deeper into insanity."

"No offense but I find it hard to believe that man ever had or has a conscience," I had not meant to sound so bitter but no matter how I look at things _he _was the real murderer of my cousin. If she had never had to go with him the she would still be alive!

"With all that was placed on it, it's no wonder he locked it away," Calliope muttered. "He was once a very good man, Lady Shikamaya. You may find this hard to believe but at one time he would died a thousand times over for this Village, your grandparents, your mother, your aunts and uncles. He was very loyal and in his own ways very caring and affectionate," When I shot her a questioning look about those last two characteristics she answered it with a slight edge to her voice. "In his own ways… But the pain of everything became too much. With everyone he cared that died a part of him went with them. Could you handle the blood of sixty children on your hands, Lady Shikamaya? And what if one of those children was the beloved little brother of one of your closest friends? And that same little boy was your own _student_? How many other people do you think he's lost since then? How many of them do you think he blames himself for? Orochimaru was a strong man, physically and mentally, but even the strongest of us has their limits. And he reached his a long time ago."

A weight crushed my chest as I attempted in vain to fathom the pain… I bit my lip as I gazed at the names on the Stone. _Could I handle being the one who put thirty-nine people's names on this stone, no doubt more, without winding up like Orochimaru? Could anyone? How many dozens more did he feel responsible for before he just gave up his sanity to escape the pain? Could this be another reason why he left? Having to look Grandma Tsunade in the face nearly every day knowing the reason she wept at night was because he failed to protect her brother? Then decades later having her look-a-like grandchild around you every day? It would be no different than looking Grandma Tsunade in the eye once more. What about the parents and siblings and cousins of his other two students, he must have had to look them in the eye and tell them…? Orochimaru, a cruel man, but not without his reasons for being so, but how can causing others pain relieve the pain he felt? Perhaps when he made others feel pain it let him know he was not alone in the never ending nightmare of pain but that would only add more to his pain in the long run. Could that be why he keeps on sinking further into insanity? Is it even possible for me to make sense of what I hope to never feel? A never ending circle of self-hatred?_

"I see I gave you some food for thought…" Calliope's mutter jerked me from my thoughts. No one would have guessed by the sound of her voice she had just wept uncontrollably over the loss of so many. I looked up to see her standing tall and in control, her tiara placed once more upon her head. "Like I told you before, Lady Shikamaya… It is only okay to let it all out when the Hitai-ate is off. When it is off you are off duty and it is fine to act like a scared child, but when it is on you _must_ be a master of yourself. I just wish I would have known this a long time ago, so I pass that bit of knowledge on to you. Use it well," She turned and walked away across the frozen field with that, the _poof_ noise signified she had left via shunshin though not a moment later another _poof _told me she had returned. "Oh and one more thing, Milady. Only take it off around someone you would trust with your life," She raised her hand to Shunshin away again but paused. "You hold a lot of power for one so young. Be careful or you could walk the very path he walks, but there may not be someone to pull you back…" With yet another _poof_ she left and did not return this time.

Alone. I was alone. Again. I turned my head slowly back to the stone. "N-Nozomi… If… You can hear me… We need to talk… Whatever you say I will be more than willing to listen! Please! I need someone to talk to right now and I know you are the only one who could… Possibly understand… Please!" Nothing… Nothing happened. "Please, don't abandon me…" I sat there for I don't know how long before I heard a giggle of laughter but it was not high and soprano like Nozomi's would be, it was Xia.

I turned to look into the forest where it had sounded from. Xia leapt into a tree a teasing look on her face as she scanned the forest below. I wondered ever so briefly what she could be doing up there when Lee jogged up, stopped and looked around confused. He starched his head just as Xia jumped from her perch and glomped Lee from behind. They both laughed gleefully as Xia buried her face into Lee's green sweater that she had given him for Christmas. Lee fell backwards, landed on Xia and swiftly rolled off of her as she tackled him. The two rolled in the snow laughing like there was no turmoil in the Village. To them there was no one here but them, even if fifty people stood beside me shouting their heads off. It was just them, innocent love that blocked the rest of the world out. Just them and love. Love?

_Could that have been…? Love… Is that what kept Nozomi tied to Oto? Love? Love like Lee and Xia felt of each other? Or a kind of love that one can only experience once in their life, like Grandma Tsunade and Grandpa Jiraiya? Or was it an unspoken love but the other knew it was always there, like Koharu and Homura? Or- Or was it a love unspoken and now it was too late, like Calliope and Nawaki?_

* * *

_**Author's Notes**_

Okays people i need some help here! nothing much! but next chapter i am going back to the Jinchuriki! WHAT? who are the Jinchuriki? Okays i know it has been AGES since i last showed them but come on! Really? Anyways, the next chap is going to feature NiiBi (Yugito and Kirabi) and I need some ways that the other Jinchuriki are going to scheme to get them together. now catch twenty-two here. they all. have. to fail. miserably. pm me, post it as a review i don't care i just need some help here! I cannot think of all but two things! and of course if your idea gets used (most likely will) i'll of course credit at the end who came up with what

wal

fw


	52. So How Are We Gonna Do It?

Nami's POV

Mama's warm breath on my neck somehow woke me from my slumber; the gentle rhythm reminded me of how real all of this was. I felt so stupid and childish but I could not help but snuggle closer to Mama, I have not felt a mother's embrace since I was so young I can hardly remember my birth mother's face. As I start to look back I realize that nearly all of my memories prior to becoming a Jinchuriki are hazy but everything afterwards is crystal clear, even at times where I was ready to pass out. Could this be one of the abilities that came with possessing a Tail? Or was it just Miu?

"Sleep well, hun?" Mama's inquiry gently pulled me from my thoughts. I simply nodded in contentment as she kissed my head. "Good, because you are going to need all of your energy today," Mama said this as she unraveled herself from both the covers and I. I looked at her in confusion as she walked toward the large, double door closet. She gracefully yanked open the white painted wood with delicate golden trim; the leaf shaped handles glimmered in the sunset/sunrise light from the new angle.

"Why, Mama?" I asked as she took a white dress like all the rest from a hanger. The grab's skirt flowed like water of a lazy mountain stream as she vanished into the adjoining bathroom. The moments it took for her to switch out her silky nightgown for her custom tailored dress seemed like agonizing hours. The grandfather clock ticked on, and grew louder and louder until the click of the doorknob silenced it.

"My Aunt died only a few days ago. Several of the Jinchuriki were close to her; if we were to get back to business too quickly it would just be a little too much. So, I figured we might as well make use of this time," Mama placed the neatly folded nightgown at the foot of the bed and proceeded to make the bed.

"How?" I yawned as I slid off the bed to help her. She remained silent while a serene smile played on her lips. The silence lingered until the bed was tidily made and pillows stacked. Mama sighed happily as she sat on the edge of the bed and motioned for me to come to her. I obliged eagerly, I had never wanted to leave her arms in the first place.

"Well, you know Yugito, Tsukiko and Aunt Kushina were friends growing up, correct?" I responded with a simple nod as I felt calmed once more in her embrace. "You see, even back then it was obvious that Kirabi and Yugito had it bad for each other and no matter how hard _any_ of their gang tried…" Mama gestured vaguely in the air to nothing in particular, but her point was clear. "It was Aunt Kushina who _loved_ to play matchmaker, but even she, with the aid of their friends, failed to get those two together. So…"

"So in her memory we are going to get those two together by the end of the day if it's the last thing we do?" A smile that was sheer cunning spread across My Mama's face as I finished for her. "How are we gonna do it?" I returned the grin with a bit more wickedness than hers as we rose to gather the others, well all but Yugito and Kirabi of course. Which would turn out to be quite an event in itself.

"Start from ten and work our way down?" I suggested as Mama and I shut the white double doors adorned with golden kanji and door handles. With a soft _click_ the golden kanji stopped glimmering, thus signified the room was unoccupied by the designated Jinchuriki. A simple nod was my answer as we made our way across the hall to the double black doors, the kanji for 'ten' glowed white indicated that Tsukiko had yet to rise or at least leave the room. The moment Mama raised her hand to knock it opened slowly, to reveal a fully and plainly dressed Tsukiko, her hair swept back in a long, low ponytail.

"My devious senses are going off," Tsukiko said with one glance at us. At first her gaze was un-approving before it broke into a mischievous grin, more playful than either Mama's or mine. She spoke as leaned leisurely in the doorframe. "What do you have in mind?"

"We shall tell you once everyone but Kirabi and Yugito are gathered," Mama said with a serene nod and motioned for us to follow. The grin spread farther on Tsukiko's face, there was no doubt in my mind that she understood what today's… Activities… Consisted of.

The next rooms, or suits really, were Eight to the right and Nine to the left. Eight shimmered yellow on light brown, no doubt Kirabi had planned to sleep the day away but unbeknownst to him our plans contradict his. Nine did not glow red on orange double doors, Naruto and Kitsune had yet to return with Kushina's body. We had gotten no word from either of them since they left for the ruins of Uzushigakure, almost to the point of worry that Akatsuki had gotten hold of them but then again it is Kitsune and Naruto, like there isn't a mess they haven't gotten out of yet!

"Tsukiko, would you mind waking Yukimaru and Gaara?" Mama inquired when we had reached rooms Six, spring green on a whitish-blue and Seven, royal purple on spring green, both glowed like fireflies in the dim light. Tsukiko gave a mock salute before she sped off down the long corridor or marble and gemstones that seemed to give off a radiance of their own that illuminated the halls. "Nami, hun, would you go wake Han and Roshi?"

I was hesitant to respond to Mama's request. Roshi was a kind grandfatherly-type man whom everyone had warmed up to rather quickly, a good many had already seemed to know him; apparently from the enormous funeral for Mama in Konohagakure. But Han… Well, he was the most distant of us all. Han always hung back and seemed to be impatient with things. Would he even bother with this? With us?

Roshi was already stood outside his doors, Valin clung to his back eager for the day. "Good morning, Nami, or at least I believe it is morning… I was awake for about an hour and I felt the Chakra accumulate as you all began to wake. I figured I'd wait for you when Tsukiko filled me on yours and your mother's little scheme," Roshi said warmly while he stretched his back, an audible_ crack_ was made in the process. "That felt good… Anyways, I must say this is a splendid idea. That young man was practically ready to start acting like a Saturday morning cartoon character when he saw her in that new outfit of hers. Jaw literally hitting the floor, tongue rolling out of his mouth like a carpet, howling, the works! Though, it is plain as day both seem stubborn, a common trait amongst majority of us Jinchuriki I have noticed."

"Do you think Han will go for this sort of thing?" I asked uncertainly as I reached absentmindedly to stroke one of the sleek, crimson feathers attached to Miu. I had not noticed her snake up my legs and coiled around my waist from wherever she had been prior. "I mean… He seems pretty reclusive…"

"That doesn't surprise me at all," Roshi said as he placed a hand on my shoulder to turn me towards Han's door. The red wooden door seemed more frightening than any of the others; it loomed taller, stretched wider and the tan Kanji glowed malevolently. I knew it was all in my head but that was no consolation to me. Roshi knocked on the door a single time and waited as the knock echoed up and down the hall and within my mind. The knock faded from ear and mind as the right door opened to reveal a sliver of an armored clad Han with an eyebrow raised. "It seems like we are playing match maker today. Subjects: Yugito Nii and Kirabi of Kumogakure. Are you in boy?"

Han let out a sigh and shrugged. The _click_ of heeled shoes told us that Mama, Fu and Utakata were approaching. As their features became more prominent in the dim lighting a mixed reaction had occurred; Utakata actually looked like he was going to enjoy this, while Fu was the exact contrast of Utakata. Not a word was spoken between any of us as we continued down the hall to meet up with Tsukiko, Gaara and Yukimaru. Gaara seemed like he always did, no emotions on the outside, but within him I sensed a battle about whether we should be doing this or not. A constant argument with himself continued as we traveled in silence through the Temple raged in his mind. Eventually I got sick of hearing it and snapped.

"Oh, for God's sake Gaara will you make up your mind?" I yelled at him. Visible shock appeared on everyone's faces, which included some Senchiha's, at my lash out. Mama reprimanded me with a sharp glance that I did my best to ignore. "Sheesh! He's only been having the loudest argument with himself I've ever heard! It gets annoying!"

"I was not transmitting that," Gaara stated, surprise crept into his voice as he his stare bore into me. I did not give ground. I held his gaze in defiance and inclined my head in confidence even if I knew not what to say. Thankfully Miu had my back. Like always…

"I am a being of many things," Miu stated calmly; the Noh Masked Leech uncoiled herself slightly so she could raise her head, like a cobra ready to strike. "In summary, I am a being of time and mind. Two very interlinked things in a complex manner. To avoid confusion I shall skip the matter of time and go straight onto the mind portion. Many people have the misconception that I feed off of the negative emotions of people, that is only half of the story. I feed off of emotions period, sad, mad or glad, it does not matter. The stronger the emotions the more powerful I become and my host as a result. Emotions are running high in many of your minds and Gaara's mixed feelings on this subject must be very strong in order for Nami to just begin hearing him without reaching out," Miu paused to see if we comprehended just what she had explained. For the most part people seemed to follow.

"Humans perceived me as a being of negative emotions because Jinchuriki are used in war. In war humans' hearts become filled with sorrow, anger and hate and since I grow stronger as the emotions do they thought me to be solely a negative thing," Another pregnant pause filled the air around the Jinchuriki and few Tails that were present as they waited for Miu to continue. "I could go into further detail here but I think we should get back to the task at hand. Although, I would love to know the reasons of _why_ you think we both should and should not interfere."

Gaara seemed to be a little embarrassed about being put on the spot so suddenly after Miu and I kind of hogged the spotlight. "Well, you see if we push them together we may wind up pushing them apart. Also, is it any of our business? It is their lives, should we really interfere? At the same time they are our brother and sister and their happiness is being jeopardized by their embarrassment and stubbornness. One of them could wind up dying and they would be left with nothing but regrets…" These were the same point I had been hearing for the ten minutes it took us to get to where we were now; a random spot in the Temple's corridors.

"But I think we should at least _try_ to get them together… It would so romantic!" Cho said as she twirled on the spot. All but Han nodded in agreement with Cho's statement as Gaara had put his mind at ease with the former turmoil.

"Well, you guys have fun with that," Han spoke up from his spot of leaning against the wall. "I'm staying out of this. Not that it is not a good idea or anything it is just not my cup of tea," Han nodded to us and walked away. _What happened to him being 'yeah okay. Whatever.' With the idea?_

"Well, he's no fun…" Yukimaru said sadly as he kicked a nonexistent stone. He pouted for a moment more before he perked up once and spoke. "So how are we gonna do it?"

* * *

_**Author's Notes**_

Excellent question Yukimaru! That is exactly what i would like to know! Come on guys seriously! I need some help here! I got a few ideas from my Substitute Muses a.k.a. Soraya the All Speaker and Kaiser-969. Also my one friend at school gave me her classic way of getting people together. but i need some help! I'll give you virtural cookies! The only reason i even put up this sorry excuse for a chapter up is because i am slightly disappointed with the lack of response. Even just shooting me a PM saying 'Sorry, but I don't have anything' at least lets me know that you guys tried! I am drawing a pretty big blank here!

wal

fw


	53. Chapter 53

Nami's POV

Naruto had still _yet_ to return since he and Great-Aunt Kushina, yeah I'm calling her my great-aunt, she's Mama's aunt after all, left for the ruins of Uzushigakure to complete the Transfer. Why Great-Aunt K didn't just wait until she absolutely had to complete the Transfer, perhaps she just wanted to get it over, rip it off quickly like a Band-Aid. Though I know I will probably never know for certain, she kept her thoughts carefully guarded under lock and key. Tsukiko went MIA after Han showed up, I have a sneaking suspicion Emi grabbed, bagged, gagged and drug her off to Seamstress Hall to finally do something about her boring outfit. To be honest I think Yugito didn't take things far enough when they were kids, it would take a lot more than burning her arms to get her into a decent clothing store! God knows where Yugito and Bee disappeared to… Probably in their rooms wonder what the hell happened and what was wrong with all of us today because I doubt _anything_ we had done worked.

I myself was overwhelmed with the emotions of my fellow Jinchruiki; I felt like I was drowning… All the horrible feelings bombarded me from all sides; each emotion a different, dark, and disgusting color hit me like hurricane waves on the shore, one right after another. Every breath I took was saturated with their emotions and filled me to the brim. I sighed as my eyes traveled to each of my fellow Jinchuriki around the Meeting Hall. Nothing we had done today had worked; everything had wound up in miserable trounce and was deeply carved into every face around the room and were expressing and venting it in their own ways.

Gaara had his arms crossed and his head hung low enough that his faced was shadowed with failure. Yukimaru sat Indian-style as he rested his glum face in his hand with his elbow resting on his knee. Roshi had a slight frown adorning his aged face with the expression that signified he was going over the day's events in his mind to figure out where the heck we went wrong. Han, who had joined in about halfway through the day out of sheer boredom, banged his head off of one of the many stone columns built into the walls causing an odd _clabang, clabang, clabang_ sound to echo around the room. Utakata blew bubbles halfheartedly from his blower like a pipe that hung loosely from his lips, though the bubbles gave off a somewhat deflated vibe much like Utakata himself was. Fu faced the wall, back tall as she pouted and muttered how her plan was _so_ flawless and _how_ could it fail. Mama simply pinched her temple with sadness overcoming her face more and more the longer she did that.

I did the only thing I could do to escape the pain… Run. I simply ran leaving Miu in her usual coil, I had expected to feel her surprise as I sprang up but I felt no such thing. She had seemed to be anticipating it, not like it really mattered; it was in the farthest corner of my mind as I raced around the bends. Murals of bright and dull colors whizzed by and wind whistled in my ears. My short hair whipped my cheeks pink from stress. My feet felt like the marble floors were slamming into them and not vice versa but the sound was the slightest and lightest_ tap, tap, tap_ from the stealth of Shinobi training, if that at all. As the columns and pillars of the Commons came into view the emotions of love and wonder washed over me like a calming wave but at the same time there was some anxiety and intensity blended in that made my hair stand on end. I slowed to a covertness creep when I heard the voice of Kirabi in one of his infamous raps echo in a hushed and adoring tone barely audible to my ears.

"Can't you understand, Nii? Since it was not happening naturally, they kept trying to push us together, you and me. On my own I kept trying to make you see, that by your side is where I want to forever be," I bit back a gasp of pure shock and words of encouragement as Kirabi continued to hold Yugito in the dip as though he had kept her from falling. Though his eyes were hidden behind his sunglasses it seemed that Yugito saw right through them and into his soul as the shock of his words turned to realization. Her mouth became a small 'o' when she finally comprehended what he was trying to say.

"Are you, Kirabi," She swallowed nervously, "Asking for my hand in matrimony?" Her final word barely escaped her lips before Kirabi kissed her full on the lips in response. I found myself transfixed at the sight. Never had they once hinted at the fact that they were anything more than friends, though it was plain as day they both wanted to be more but… I suppose perhaps… They already had been more…

_Oh, God this is so sweet I am going to get cavities! Yet… _Yet I wished Mama and Kabuto could have a moment like this soon. A proclamation of love as sweet as this… I no doubt would dream of tonight because I wished for Mama's happiness and because I wanted a whole family, something I had known for the briefest amount of time. I wanted to no longer call Kabuto, Kabuto but Father, should he permit it. He was there for us and put on a fake smile in vain attempt to cheer Ayame, Megumi and I up in our days of deepest mourning. He held Ayame when her nightmares of being abandoned plagued her, when Mama could no longer. He burned the midnight oil, beyond exhaustion, to see if he could find away to restore even the smallest fraction of Megumi's hearing. Kabuto worked day in and day out to help strengthen the Seals that had been placed on Yukimaru and I without our connections with Mizu and Miu being hindered, though it was more so for me than Yukimaru. I yearned to watch Ayame drift off into sleep in between Mama and Kabuto when she had terrible dreams. The thought that there could be more than just the five of us in the future burst forth from nowhere and sent my stomach into a whirl of butterflies. The warm, milky scent of a baby brother or sister protruded my thoughts, but I welcomed it. More and more thoughts of a whole family filled my head as I stood still conceal behind one of the many columns of the Common Room.

Bee's voice drifted into my thoughts and quickly expunged my train of thought. Keen to listen more to a final confession of love I cocked my head slightly to eavesdrop. "What's wrong Yugito? I thought you'd be all aglow? Is the thought of wedlock too big a shock?" Worry and concern filled his voice as he took her by the shoulders and in attempt for her to look at him. She looked away from him with a strange emotion on her face that could only be that of a torn heart. Kirabi removed his shades, grabbed her chin and forced her to look him in the eye, obsidian to obsidian. "Yugito… What's wrong?"

The point that he had not even attempted to rhyme gave off the alarms in the back of my mind. My breath hitched in my throat as I gazed at Yugito yet I did understand her hesitation. Not ever even going out with the guy other than as friends and then all of a sudden having the question popped like that? Yeesh, no wonder she froze…

"Kirabi we have been dating for over three years-" _What the-? Okay I guess we all got those two figured wrong!_ "And yes I do love you more than anyone else! And I want to spend forever with you and the children we discussed having for the last year and a half!" _Wow… We were **really **wrong!_ "But I'm scared, Bee… Our lives are so short as Shinobi, true we hardly leave Kumo except for when we absolutely _have _to, but none the less! With the threat of Akatsuki hanging over our heads all the time…" Yugito trailed off as she diverted her own dark eyes from his. The moment he opened his mouth to speak her eyes snapped back to him "What if they were to capture one or both of us? Where would that leave the kids, lacking one or both of us? What if only one of us were captured? What if it was you? Bee I don't think I could…" Yugito's eyes glistened like two shards of onyx from the tears that threatened to spill over.

When she spoke no more Kirabi took his hand that still held his shades, grabbed her chin and kissed her deeply and with the hand that had been on her should pulled her in close by wrapping it around her waist. When at last they pulled apart to come up for air Yugito buried her face into Bee's chest. As he held her close he began to speak once more, not a rhyme in sight. "Yugito, we'd be kicking ourselves more if something happened to us and we _didn't_ take the next step. If you want living proof look at Nozomi! She and what's-his-face-that-will-never-be-good-enough-for-our-sister never even admitted to the other that at the very least they had a crush going on between the two and unlike them we won't get a second chance. And as for the kids, it would be hard but for them I could keep going if anything were _ever_ to happen to you and I know you would do the same only better than I ever could!"

"You don't know that Kirabi! I know I could never be strong enou-"

"Yes, you would be!" Kirabi said forcefully and hugged her tighter. The love and pain on his face was so great I could not help but see a flash of Kabuto holding Mama's body, tears streaming from his face, falling on her own that I thought would forever hold a look of eternal peace while other drops splattered on his glasses. I shook my head to clear away that horrible moment in my life. "Yugito… You don't have to answer right now. Just remember that I will always love you," A final, soft kiss on the lips was his parting before he released her, if it was possible more pain crossed his face when his back was turned to her. As he walked past, hands deep in his pockets, shoulders slumped forward I heard him mutter, "Why does it feel like my heart has been cut through…"

When his footsteps had at last faded Yugito could stand on her own no longer, she sunk to her knees and cried into her hand while her other grabbed onto the wall of the fountain to keep her from falling flat on her face. Her sobs echoed around the room and my heart as I watched a strong, proud and caring Shinobi cry their heart out over love. Once more I was pulled away to a memory I fight every day to forget. Just after Mama had died, when Kabuto had carried her body off to the morgue… His shoulders slumped, head bent down… I did the only thing I could think of to do to break free of that horrid memory. I burst forth from behind the column, tears streaming down my face and screeched, "YOU IDIOT!"

Everything moved in slow motion; she looked up startled from my outburst, her eyes widened and sobs ceased, my face darkened. Time seemed to jerk forward as a loud _smack_ echoed around the marble room just seconds after I smacked her face. I remained unmoving my arm still brought across my body from the forceful slap I had delivered while Yugito's eyes slowly regained focus from her position on the floor. I could not look at her but I saw her turn her blond head away from me in shame out of the corner of my wet eyes. Yugito reached for her pink tinted cheek at a snail's pace almost in a trance like state; my hand seemed to act on its own as I snatched her hand away from her face. I lamely tried to punch Yugito only to stumble in mid swing and fall onto her chest.

"Don't touch me!" I shrieked when Yugito's arms crept around me as I begun to shake but I pulled away from her, faltering backwards and nearly falling on my rear in the process. "Don't you ever touch me! M-Mama and Bee praised you for your wisdom but now you're just being a baka! It's not fair! Bee's right! Y-you are taking your life for granted! I know the only reason you're holding back is for the reasons you s-said! I can f-feel it radiating o-off of you! It's not fair that you get to have what Mama and K-K-Father can't for a very lon-long time! You're just a-!" My brain went into lock down and my breath hitched as I realized what had just left my lips.

"Nami, I-" I turned myself away from that cowardly woman. I heard her stand up behind me and felt her warm hand on my shoulder before I jerked it out of her grasp. She let out a sad and slightly irritated sigh. "It's not that simple. You are too young to understand despite how mature and wise you are for your age. Even when your…" She paused as if doubting what I had said days ago about Father and Mama officially adopting Megumi, Ayame and I once they were reunited, married, and this horrible nightmare was over, "Your… Parents are reunited I doubt they will get married right away," Yugito had hesitated to say that Nozomi and Kabuto were my parents, I was right she doubted them and their love for each other and us. Rage boiled in the pit of my stomach as that horrid Jinchuriki continued to speak. "You-"

"Stop! Just stop!" I shrieked and covered my ears. Like the child Yugito said I truly was I ran from there, to where I don't really know I just ran as fast as I could. The ever present sunrise/sunset light didn't matter as I sprinted, eyes closed tight to the world around me. If I bumped into something I shifted direction just enough to clear it, if I fell I half crawled half ran to stand once more; any and every time I had fallen I tumbled as if I were going downhill. The wind whipped my short hair causing several strands to stick to my tear soaked face. My muscles hardly ached from the constant training of becoming a Shinobi and I had hardly taken a vacation since we got here. Constant training with Mama-

My thoughts and raging dash ended abruptly when I had fallen once more to the hard ground. I lay sprawled on the cold, snow covered ground shaking from exhaustion and fury. As the adrenaline faded from my system pain seared throughout my body but it was nothing compared to what I had kept bottled up inside for years on end. Not a thought or memory of any of it crossed my mind as I cried. The tears just escaped from my eyes like bird released from its cage for the first time. The longer I lay the faster they turned to ice on my cheeks, crystals of frozen sorrow clung to my eyelashes, threatening to seal my eyes shut with every blink.

Dully and halfheartedly I noticed the darkness settling in around me. A chilling sense of alarm ran down my spine and bitter fear froze my heart and soul. Too weak and tired to move the horrible realization fear crashed upon me like the waves of Oto's northern, and only, shores. I was no longer under the Mountain's and Senchiha Clan's protection, nor was Miu with me. I was vulnerable. I was alone.

* * *

**_Author's Notes_**

Okay! Nami was being a brat about this chapter but BOO HOO FOR HER! I WIN! OH YEAH! Deal with it Ice Queen!

Nami: I can't believe... You are making me so dang emotional anymore! I. Am. The. Ice Queen! I show nothing!

Fw: Ice melts eventually. Besides I am the author and what I say goes! Haha!

Nami: Whatever. Hey, how come you have NEVER put a disclaimer?

Fw: This is ... I kinda figured that it was obvious that we fans own nothing but the Oc's! If it was our own original writing it would be on Fictionpress (I do believe that is FF's counter part)

Nami: Good point... But I'm still going to say it!

Fw: Like heck you will!

Nami: Watch me. Freewolf-Sama does not own Naruto in any way, shape or form but all OC's are hers.

Fw: Brat... Next time I will actually tell you _what_ the Jinchuriki's attempts were. Yeah, I did it this way because of lack of ideas.

WAL  
FW


	54. Final Chapter

Dear Readers,

I'm sorry but I cannot continue The Senju Chronicles any longer. I do indeed love this story, it has been with me virtually since the beginning but I think it's time for me to stop with it. It's my amateur work and frankly it makes me sad. The basic idea is good but I focused way too much on my OC, Tsunade's Chance is way underdeveloped, there are a million clichés… The list is frankly endless. However that does not mean I am through with it. I'm rewriting it and I have been trying to do so for the longest time but having two stories so similar but have/will have so many differences I can't do them both. So the rewrite is called "The Senju Chronicles: Recalibrated!" and is already two chapters in. It's going to be very different from the original TSC but it will be following the basics. For the first book in it (the name will still be Tsunade's Chance) I will focus much more on her childhood and growing up now that I have a basic timeline established.

It will also feature her entire Academy graduating class; I have them all made up already, or at least their names. In her class there will be twenty-one graduates, including Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru and Hiruko. Sadly those are the only characters of Tsunade's generation that Kishi gave me to work with and as for Dan he's a year older than her (or so _I _say). So that means I have made 17 characters, yes OC central but they are all important or at least they as a Squads are. It will mostly focus more so with the girls as Tsunade is a girl and will be hanging around them more so than the guys, at least until they reach the age of ten when boys stop being yucky. The boys will have minor appearances up until that time, with the exception of Jiraiya and Orochimaru of course as they are Tsunade's boys! So by the time you are well familiar with the girls and semi with the boys so it's not like I'm throwing them all in your face at once.

There will be eight other girls in Tsunade's class, one squad being all girls and no it's not because I'm a girl! Honestly I'm almost sick of all the girls but it literally had to be done. The Sensei of the all girls squad is, you guessed it Sarutobi Biwako (before she got married so different surname, I'm using the surname of her voice actor, which is Watanabe). If you remember her from the seven pages she had in Naruto: Shippuden, Chapter 500 or episode 247 she has a very… Interesting point of view on men so I really couldn't see her teaching a squad with two boys and I originally had her having two girls but… At that point in her life when she was much younger and _much_ more opinionated on her perspective men, no doubt, I could not see her teaching a boy at all. Though by the time her girls are through with her she'll be praying for boys. Believe me I'm kind of sick of all the girls but I'm trying to keep things realistic.

On the note of Senseis **NONE **of the Senseis will be OC's (Thank you Kishi for making enough Shinobi from Sarutobi Hiruzen's generation to allow me to do that). Danzou no get students from Tsunade's class because he is an idiot and I hate him but he does get a Squad of brats the next year but it's just another thing he lost to Sarutobi Hirzuen on. So the list of Senseis are…

Sarutobi Hiruzen (No duh)  
Furofuki  
Sarutobi Biwako (nee Watanabe Biwako)  
Hatake Sakumo (He's the youngest Sensei, might make him a young teen unless you guys know his age as it is not on the wikia)  
Uchiha Kagami  
Akimichi Torifu  
Hyuuga Komorebi (Hiashi and Hizashi's dad, had to make up a name for him and he is older than those above)

All of the Senseis listed above are on the official Naruto Wikia if you don't know who they are and I _just_ realized even Danzou's teammates beat him to the punch of being a Sensei (Uchiha Kagami nad Akimichi Torifu). For the record I'm not just torturing him like this so because I don't like the guy, in fact there are times when I kind of feel bad for him. Kind of. Having him lose out like that time and time again adds to the reasons why he became Mr. Jerkyface later on. Also, Utatane Koharu is not on the list is because she got a Squad of students five years Tsunade's senior and Tsunade is six so that makes them eleven. They may or may not be important later, don't know.

Furthermore, I will be giving a closer look into the Senju Clan's way of life. So that does mean relatives outside of her parents, grandparents, granduncle and brother. Goody! How they interact with each other, their Clan Compound, interactions with the Uchiha *MUAHAHAHA! That should be interesting!*.

Back to Tsunade's graduating class. It will rely mostly on the Clans as Konoha would still be rather new though Hashirama founded it probably when he was in his thirties and is now a grandfather… But none the less civilian recruits aren't exactly easy to get I mean look at Naruto's graduating class and those who actually made the cut. In reality there was only _one _civilian born and that being Sakura! The rest were Clan Kids (Naruto's an Uzumki so CLAN KID!)! All together there are eight either civilian born or are from Shinobi parent/s but not yet considered a Clan. Eight out of Twenty-one isn't too bad I might say. All the rest are from Clans.

Yes, I am aware that there are more kids in Tsunade's graduating class than Naruto's as technically most of his class (Teams one through six and also team nine were washouts that didn't pass the final exam of teamwork). In Tsunade's class there were five students who failed all together and didn't even get to become Shinobi, don't know, don't care what's going to happen to them. As for the seven teams that did pass and will continue to stay Shinobi I'm having it that back then there was no final test of teamwork and that the bell test was something Sarutobi Hiruzen decided to do. He did this because he wanted to see if they could work together or if they could do so at all and to get an idea of their skills, talents, etc. Later on when he becomes the Sandaime Hokage it becomes a final requirement. And the teams at this time all graduate at the age of six, undergoing just two years in the Academy to get the basics down before they are handed off to their Jounin Sensei for further training. Obviously this changes over time.

Also keep in mind that they. Are. SIX. With the "current" graduation age being six, Tsunade's being the first graduating class at the new Academy (Took them long enough to consider having an Academy but as Tobirama founded it it's not that surprising that it took so long), the tests aren't going to be too hard so more kids naturally _would _pass!

Well, that was longer than I thought it would be but hey, at least you get a basic idea of the rewrite and a little information on why things will be the way they are.

See ya at Recalibrated,

With Authorly Love,

Freewolf17


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